Emma DeLauro: the Untold Anthology
by pusa.is.me
Summary: 100 Emmacentric stories for a fanfic challenge. Heck. I'm back? What the hell?
1. Beginnings

**Title: To be a Hero**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Character: Emma DeLauro**  
**Prompt: Beginnings**  
**Word Count: 398**  
**Rating: G**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue.**

_Not everyone can be a hero._

Those words kept ringing in her ears as she drove the car she _borrowed_ from Allyson -- borrowed, well, because the term _stealing_ was becoming overrated anyway – back to the club where she first saw him.

_Him._

Some anonymous bystander whom she happened to bump into last night as she was trying to escape the so-called GS agents who wanted to pod her, or whatever Adam and the rest of his team called that process. She didn't really know him; he could have been an ex-convict or a murderer for all she knew, but here she was, going back to the exact place they had first locked eyes, hoping that she would bump into him once again.

And no, she wasn't the rash type of girl who'd run after some good-looking guy she'd randomly spot inside a well-crowded club. All her life she had been very cautious, sometimes a little off the edge, but still very reserved when it comes to picking up the men she would include in her life. So no, it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment adventure that she wanted to engage in just for the lack of anything better to do.

That wasn't the reason she was going back.

There was something about him, something that made her open up the first time they met. There and then, she knew he was different. He was just like her. A mere bystander, but still standing out from the crowd.

And she knew she could trust him.

_Not everyone can be a hero._

If she ever wanted to accept Adam's offer, she needed someone she could trust. And after that encounter with him the other night, Emma was sure that he, whoever he was, would give her the security she needed – the feeling of safety, of belongingness.

They had an instant connection, and for once in her life she's positive that she's doing the right thing.

Not everyone can be a hero. But before she even gives it a shot, she needs someone to be there beside her, someone she could lean on, someone who'd undergo the process of being a hero the same time she does.

That's the reason why she's coming back for him. She needed a person she could trust. And she picked him.

After all, it's not everyday you bump into someone you instantly feel connected to, right?


	2. Middles

**Title: Fairy Tales**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Jesse Kilmartin**  
**Prompt: Middles**  
**Word Count: 310**  
**Rating: G**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue.**

"I take it you believe in happy endings," she asked him casually one day.

He looked up to her, blue eyes meeting blue, and smiled his resident, charming smile. "Kid's stuff," he replied teasingly.

She grinned back, and waited for him to sit beside her. Together they gazed at their reflections on the pool, and moments later she felt him wrap an arm around her.

"Okay, so I guess I do," he refuted his own statement. "But don't you?"

She smiled again, and turned to look at him once more. "I used to," she answered seriously, but a certain playfulness can be seen in her blue eyes.

"Oh, what happened?" he inquired, bringing his face inches from her.

She shrugged, turning away. "Somewhere along the way I realized that happy endings happen only in fairy tales."

Frowning, he silently pondered when did she became so cold and distant. "Emma I…"

Sighing loudly she flashed him a sweet smile before gazing back at her reflection. "Oh don't worry about it Jesse, like you said, it's kid's stuff."

The molecular looked hard at the psionic as her blue eyes shone in the waters. "You used to have a lot of faith in things like these," he whispered softly. "What happened?"

"The only permanent thing in the world is change," she answered, then laughed at her own attempt at cliché. "You dream of the most wonderful things as a child, Jesse. As you grow older you realize that they're just that – dreams. And when you come to the end of your life you'd scold your self for being so foolish, so… distracted."

Blue eyes lock with blue, and for two long seconds Jesse saw all the sadness that Emma had carried with her all her life – all the broken dreams, failures, fears, frustrations. Most of them not her own. And suddenly he understood.


	3. Ends

**Title: Solitude**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Character: Emma DeLauro**  
**Prompt: Ends**  
**Word Count: 201**  
**Rating: G**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue.**

At that very last minute -- that single, heart-stopping climax -- she suddenly felt at peace with her self. No fancy images flashing before her eyes, no feelings of regret for not telling the people she loved how much they all meant to her, no subtle cries of hopelessness and fear of being separated from the rest of the world forever.

No. As a matter of fact, the last time she had felt that peaceful was the time before her parents decided to bring her to Genomex for some booster shots. It was a time when she didn't have to deal with feelings except that of her own. It was a time when the people around her could have been thinking of the nastiest thoughts and she wouldn't have a single clue.

And she suddenly felt an inexplicable joy. To be alone once again, to be able to feel her own pain, her own fears. To be her self.

Tears of joy fell from her eyes as she released her grip from the railing of the bridge, unmindful of Adam's continuous call of her name, and the screams of the others clinging on for dear life.

And she embraced death happily.


	4. Outsides

**Title: On the Outside**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray, Shalimar Fox**  
**Prompt: Outsides**  
**Word Count: 295**  
**Rating: G**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue.**

"Why won't you let me in anymore?"

She looked up from the book she was reading and gave him a queer look. "Whatever do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"You used to share everything with me," he replied, soundlessly sitting beside her and placing a gentle hand on her knee. "We used to be best friends."

She smiled bitterly and shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about. Of course we're still best friends. We always were, right?"

He frowned, and tightened his hold on her. "Emma, why are you doing this? What have I done wrong?"

She debated in her mind whether she should tell him her reason or not. After all, he deserved an explanation. He _was_ her best friend.

"I just…" she started to explain when another voice called from the other room. "Brennan? Adam wants us to pick up a new mutant in Square Three."

Turning around the elemental called back at her. "Sure thing Shal, be right there." When he returned his eyes on her, she had already gone back to her reading.

"We'll finish this later, okay?" he whispered softly, as if no one else mattered in the world but her.

She faked a small smile but didn't bother to watch him leave. Deep inside of her she knew that she could never let him in again. He has to remain on the outside for all time.

Looking up she followed him with her eyes, and for a tiny split of a second his eyes glazed and he froze on where he stood. But before anyone else could notice it he quickly recovered from the blow and pushed it off as a result of over fatigue.

And then she knew that he would ask no more questions.


	5. Insides

**Title: Nightwatch**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Characters: Emma DeLauro**  
**Prompt: Insides**  
**Word Count: 121**  
**Rating: G**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue.**

She hovers above their subconscious every night, when everything else sleeps peacefully. She reads their dreams, participates in them once in a while, and even manipulates them so that the outcome would be one which would best suit her fancy. In and out their heads she goes, doing her nightly rounds with the original purpose of guarding them from nightmares and anxieties. Yet as time passes by she finds her self more attracted to each and every thought that encompasses their whole being. And she suddenly realizes that she can no longer stop invading their dreams. And so she remains in their heads, no longer a passive viewer, but an active participant in the way their own little worlds would turn.


	6. Breakfast

**Title: Butter and Maple**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Character: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**  
**Prompt: Breakfast**  
**Word Count: 356**  
**Rating: G**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue.**

He saw her as he entered the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She was making some pancakes for breakfast – chocolate pancakes topped with maple syrup and butter. He watched as she lovingly arranged each piece, careful not to spill the syrup or put too much butter on top. It always amazed him how she could perform such minor tasks like preparing breakfast and still manage to keep her air of grace and loveliness intact. She was beautiful in every imaginable way possible, and it was no wonder that a lot of guys have fallen in love with her.

She seemed to sense his presence because she suddenly looked up from her handwork and flashed him one of her sweet, innocent smile. Ah, that smile could melt anyone's heart. He began to wonder why he had never thought of her more than a friend before. She was so many things that other girls weren't, and she was the first one he had learned to care for aside from himself.

"Well, are you going to just stand there all morning?" she asked, her eyes twinkling, dancing.

He grinned as he took five long strides towards her and wrapped a loving arm around her waist. "Good morning Em," he greeted her, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Smells good," he added, referring to the pancakes and her.

"Morning to you too," she chirped back, appearing oblivious to the nearness of their faces from each other. "Could you help me carry these to the table; the others would be up in a while."

He smiled. How could a very powerful telempath not notice how irresistible she was? But instead of wondering on things that he would never understand, he took the plate and carried it over the table.

She followed him with her eyes as he walked away from her. She hid a small, funny smile by turning around and pretending to fix up the mess she made. But deep inside she knew what he was thinking, what he was feeling. And it gave her a warm, cozy feeling inside, knowing that their resident elemental was slowly falling for her.


	7. Lunch

**Title: Old Cookbooks  
Fandom: Mutant X  
Character: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray  
Prompt: Lunch  
Word Count: 318  
Rating: G  
Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue.**

She wanted to eat something different for lunch, something that didn't have anything Chinese or fried in it. So she dug into the old cookbooks her mother used to work on when she was a little girl, and flipped into the pages to search for something different, something exotic.

He knocked on her door the same time she finally decided what meal to experiment on. She looked up, that same sweet, innocent smile plastered on her face, and waited for him to come in and sit beside her.

"What'cha doing?" he asked casually, plopping beside her and peering over the book.

"I'm cooking lunch," she answered brightly, as if it was some important task like saving the world.

"Em, you always cook lunch," he replied, taking a closer look at the cookbook. "What's with all these… reading?"

"I'm tired of Chinese," she confessed. "So I'm going to try something new."

"Still an Asian cuisine?" he inquired.

"Yes," she replied, lying down and stretching her arms. "You wanna help me?"

He laughed as he lied down beside her. "I could burn water."

"I know," she answered simply. "I just need someone to throw the trash after I'm done."

"Hey!" he protested, flipping to his side and started tickling her waist.

"Brennan stop!" she screamed, trying to pull away from the elemental but failing to do so.

He laughed, enjoying the feeling of seeing her squirm in delight. After a few more seconds he finally let her go, and she all but flew away from his reach.

"Bad Brennan," she kidded, imitating a three-year old.

"Peachy Emma," he replied.

She shook her head and stood up, picking the fallen cookbook and heading towards the door. The last minute she turned and smiled at him. "So, you coming or not?"

He smiled back, silently anticipating the lunch they'll be having later, and more importantly, the preparation they'll be doing for it.

* * *

_Just got back from theatre camp with an aching back and a sore face but everyrhing else is cool. _

_I guess it's important to discuss the challenge I'm doing now. It's a challenge to write 100 Emma-centric stories given 100 different prompts that I've included in the heading. Most of them are one-shots, although some might appear to be continuations of the previous ones. Some are taken from an episode, some are just fillers, or scenes I wished happened in the show._

_In any case I'd love to hear feedbacks. Thanks for all the support. _

_-- kyd_


	8. Dinner

**Title: Crema de Fruta**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**  
**Prompt: Dinner**  
**Word Count: 329**  
**Rating: G**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue.**

She arrived in Sanctuary a minute past ten, still early, considering the night life some of her teammates had, but late, if she ever wanted to have a decent meal before going to sleep. Most probably Jesse already devoured the last of their dinner that she had prepared for them before she went out to check on a nearby safehouse. Still she passed by the kitchen, planning to grab a leftover sandwich or such before going to her room.

She gasped when she found him seated on the counter and looking expectantly towards the door, as if he had been waiting for her all this time.

"You frightened me!" she exclaimed, holding a shaky hand over her chest. "What are you doing there anyway?"

He smiled and hopped down the counter, walked towards her and led her to the table. He made her sit down and massaged her shoulders lightly once she had settled down.

"Brennan what…" she started but the elemental merely grinned and headed towards the fridge.  
She propped her elbows on the table and watched as the elemental took a tray of crema de fruta from the freezer and placed it in front of her. "Thought you might be hungry," he told her, smiling as he turned around and took two saucers from the shelf.

"Please don't tell me you made this," she said, slightly nervous that she might constipate or such after eating something that Brennan had made.

"Haha," the elemental answered. "No, I bought it from _our_ favorite bakeshop," and there was something in the way that he pronounced _our_ that made her smile just a little wider.

"Thanks," she replied, and waited for him to cut her a slice. Heck if he was going to take care of her that evening she might as well make the most out of it.

"No problem," he answered back, winking at her playfully, and there and then she knew that he needed something from her.


	9. Food

**Title: Leftovers  
Fandom: Mutant X  
Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray, Jesse Kilmartin  
Prompt: Food  
Word Count: 787  
Rating: G  
Author's Notes: Not mine. Don't sue. And yeah, I'm back. For, like, a second.**

For days she would always find him either seated on the counter waiting for her to prepare their food, or outside her room asking if she needed any help in cooking. At first she thought that it would soon go away, for honestly the elemental was never really the one-woman guy he always claimed to be. Then the time came when she debated on whether to read his mind just to know if she should take him seriously or not. And finally, she succumbed to a hopeless curiosity as to when the dangerous elemental would tell her what he wanted her to do.

Her prayers were answered one quiet night just as everyone was about to go to bed. They had just come back from a mission, all of them dead tired and wasted for battling a humongous number of GSA, which, of course, all dropped dead in the end. Well, maybe not dead, but appeared to be dead. Anyway.

Only Jesse asked for something to eat, and she reluctantly headed towards the kitchen to get the molecular something before showering and jumping into bed. She knew her friend could prepare his meal by himself, but she thought it was necessary to do the service herself, after Jesse nearly lost an arm trying to save her earlier. Literally.

"Thanks Em," the hungry molecular chirped as the psionic placed a platter of cold cuts and some leftover pizza on the table. "Are you sure you don't want to join me or something?"

She smiled faintly and shook her head. He understood and walked over to where she was standing, placed a small kiss on her forehead and bid her goodnight. She glanced once last time as the molecular ate what she set before him.

She was almost at her door when she noticed a solitary figure waiting patiently for her in the shadows. Turning to face him she faked a frown and placed her hands on her hips.

"Well, do you want some leftover food too?"

He smiled and emerged from the darkness, his dancing eyes telling the psionic that food was the last thing in his mind as of the moment. Within three seconds he was right in front of her, looking down on her pretty, innocent face, and he wondered for the hundredth time that day if she would slap him if he attempted to kiss her.

"Bren, I'm really beaten up," she groaned, realizing that the elemental wasn't going to speak up anytime soon. "If you need something, can you just tell me what it is? Don't make me enter your head to know the answers."

A raised eyebrow and she suddenly reconsidered. Maybe her little joke was offending. Nobody wants other people messing up their heads. She shrugged and turned to open her door. "Good night Bren."

"Can I come in for a little while?"

She turned and saw a childish expression on his face, a facial reaction that she simply could not resist. Sighing in resignation she entered the room and allowed him to follow her. Once inside she sat on her bed and started removing her cardigan, exposing her soft, smooth skin that made the elemental's eyes light up with delight. "Well what do you want?" she asked, suddenly feeling the desire that her friend was projecting.

He ran his hand through his hair and sat down beside her. Really, for a woman's man he was starting to lose his cool. It was Emma, for Pete's sake. Why was he being scared of her?

"I just want to make sure you're fine," he finally muttered out loud. "You know, after that fire elemental almost torched out your arm." A pause. "Just making sure you could cook breakfast tomorrow, you know."

It was her turn to raise an eyebrow. "Jesse covered me from the attack Bren," she answered. "Maybe you should ask him if he's all right. I'm sure he'd appreciate the concern."

He smiled, placing an arm around her and just holding her close for a few minutes. Finally, he let go and stood up, allowing her to look up to his still smiling face. "Well, I'm off to bed now," he said, pulling up her hands and making her stand. "Good night Em." And he gently placed a small kiss on her lips, too quick for the psionic to react to it. When she finally realized what had happened, he was already in the doorway, waving her goodbye.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said before closing her door.

She blinked as she watched him leave, not able to utter a single word. A small smile spread on her face, and within moments she removed her ponytail and headed for her bathroom.

* * *

_I've noticed that the number of my reviewers has declined rapidly as the chapters progressed. Does that mean my stories are getting bad? Sniff. Should I still continue with this challenge? Sniff again._

_-- kyd_


	10. Drink

**Title: Picnic**

**Fandom: Mutant X  
Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray, Jesse Kilmartin, Shalimar Fox  
Prompt: Drink  
Word Count: 1,136  
Rating: G  
Author's Notes: Not mine. Don't sue. And yeah, I'm back. For, like, a second. Oh, and thanks for the kind souls who left a review. At least I am now sure that people are reading my work. Good news: I won't quit the challenge. Leave a review if you have time, but if not, that's still fine. I'm now relieved, that's all I need. Thank you. Oh, and this story will be the last of the Food Series, so the next chapter I'll post will probably have nothing to do with this.**

She almost didn't notice the note taped on the fridge as she was about to get a drink before making breakfast. She would have entirely missed it had it not accidentally fell out of place and flew down in front of her lazily, much like a feather playfully taunting her. Creasing her eyebrows the psionic picked up the fallen note and read it carefully, a small smile escaping her lips once she had finished reading the whole thing.

_Meet me outside as soon as you get this. And forget about making breakfast._

_-- B_

She shook her head at their own childishness. They would sometimes call each other that, her referring to him as B and him calling her E. It was another proof of their strong bond, the deep connection they shared. She debated on whether she should prepare a little something for the others before heading off to their little date, but the elemental did say that she should not worry about it, right? One thing she learned was that she should trust Brennan enough when it came to matters such as these. If he said forget about making breakfast, it was better if she followed.

The cool air wrapped her whole body as she stepped out of the sheltered premises of Sanctuary, and she silently scolded herself for not bringing a sweater with her. She gently rubbed her hands on her bare arms, hoping that by doing so she could feel a little warm.

A leather jacket suddenly found its way cozily on her shoulders, and the telempath turned around to see the elemental grinning down at her. She smiled back and gratefully wriggled inside the material.

"Good morning," he whispered, placing a loving hand on her right shoulder and subtly pushing her forward.

"Good morning to you too," she responded, looking around for any sign of the others. She was still worried that they may not have anything to eat yet, and was half-hoping that they were going to join them in whatever the elemental was planning on doing.

"Stop acting like a mother for once, Em," he laughed. "They can make their own breakfast."

"I don't even want to think of the disaster Shalimar would make when she tries to make pancakes," she replied sullenly, which earned another grin from the elemental. Sometimes it amazed her how he could read her so clearly, as if he was a psionic as well.

He led her to a cozy spot that overlooked the ocean, and she had to smile when she saw the preparations that Brennan made prior to their little date. A baby blue blanket was laid out on the soft grass, and there was a wicker basket filled with she could only guess what kinds of food. At least he had sense enough to bring the jacket with him to shield her from the biting cold.

"Wow, you do need something from me," she joked as she allowed him to sit her down the blanket.

He smiled warmly at her, brown eyes locking with blue, and for about five seconds they just stared at each other, neither one breaking the silence. Finally she removed her gaze lest she drown herself in his eyes.

"So," she began, subconsciously pulling the jacket closer to her body, "What's the occasion?"

He shrugged and inched nearer, placing an arm around her shoulder. "Just wanted to steal you away for an hour or two," he answered. "And find out what happens when Jesse finds out there's no breakfast on the table by the time he wakes up."

"You're evil, do you know that?"

"Yes I do."

"And you sound so proud of your achievement."

"I am."

A raised eyebrow. "So what do you need from me?"

A pause. A smile. She suddenly felt her heart hammering wildly in her chest. Was it because of the vibes that Brennan was sending her, or was it her own emotions? She swallowed hard and tried to breathe evenly. Which she was finding so hard to do at the moment. She knew this would happen sooner or later, but the knowledge still didn't do much to calm her when the moment did come.

"I want you not to cook breakfast for a change."

A blank stare. That was it? That's what the endless helping her out in the kitchen was for? So that she would stop making breakfast? Was her cooking that bad?

"What?"

A small smile. "Don't get me wrong," was the answer, as if he had read her mind once more. "I love your cooking. It's nothing compared to Shal, or Jesse, for that matter. But I want you not to cook breakfast today. That's what I need from you. Not to cook today."

"Why?" Confusion was written all over her face.

Another smile. "Ah. That's where the interesting part comes in." He grinned and took the basket. He fished something inside and produced a container filled with chocolate pancakes. "I want to cook breakfast for you, for a change."

Realization. She grinned. How far from the nearest restroom? Brennan's cooking wasn't something she wanted to try. But the way he smiled at her broke her resolve, and she contented herself with asking another question, very similar to the other question she asked.

"Why?"

Brennan wasted no time opening the container, and she gasped when she saw a silver necklace with an EB pendant nestled on top of the pancakes. She looked up at the elemental, shock written all over her face. "Bren…?"

He placed the container down and took the necklace, making her turn around so he could put it around her neck. He then made her face her and again he smiled. "Surprise."

She wasn't sure how to react, no words could express the happiness she was feeling. Of course it was no surprise to know that the elemental had feelings for her, but it was surprising to see him actually acting on those feelings.

"What? Not even a thank you?" came the sheepish question, for, really, he didn't have to tell her directly how he felt because she was supposed to be a telempath.

And a thank you he got.

Before the elemental could even react she threw her hands around him, causing them both to tumble down the ground. There were no words, only actions, but both understood what happened. Smiling he cupped her chin and planted a soft kiss on her lips. And unlike the last time, it was long enough for her to realize what was going on and return the kiss with the same love.

Back in Sanctuary, a certain molecular was groaning because his stomach was demanding attention, while a frustrated feral was opening cabinet drawers in search of the last box of pancake mix they had in stock.


	11. Hours

**Title: Farewells**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Jesse Kilmartin**  
**Prompt: Hours**  
**Word Count: 423**  
**Rating: G**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue. And this is not a continuation of the last chapter. This is an entirely different one-shot, set sometime in Lest He Become. Enjoy.**

A few hours before her death, Emma found her self seated beside Jesse in her room, flipping photo albums she had kept hidden from everyone else but him. Just minutes ago Brennan and Shalimar headed out for Naxcon, and in a few hours' time the rest of Mutant X will lose the telempath they've all loved and protected.

He smiled gently as she closed the album and placed it back in her drawer. He could feel that she was disturbed about something, but he wasn't particularly sure of what. She suddenly turned and smiled at him. "I told you not to worry too much about me Jess. I'm a big girl now, I can take care of myself." And again the molecular wondered if she could read minds as well.

"Jesse, can I tell you a secret?" she suddenly found her self asking.

Blue eyes locked with blue for the nth time, and smiling his kindest smile he took her hand and squeezed it gently. "You know you can tell me anything Emma."

She flashed him a grateful smile, and rested her head on his chest. "I'm going to die today."

The molecular froze, but could not bring himself to push the telempath away. "W-what?" he all but blurted out clumsily, revealing the childish being inside of him.

"My powers have grown over the months, and I can now predict the future. And it's not like the precognitions that Tyler had. They're not future possibilities, Jesse. It's really the future that I see."

"Emma what are you talking about?" he asked, gently pushing her away so that he could see her beautiful blue eyes. "You're not going to die. We won't let you. I won't let you."

"I knew you'd say that," she answered, placing a loving hand on his cheek. "You've always been there for me Jesse. I'm not sure if I've ever said thank you yet."

"Em, this is not funny anymore," he protested, but somewhere deep inside of him he feared that what she's saying were all true.

"Goodbye Jesse," she whispered, placing a small kiss on his cheek. Before the molecular could utter another word, a small psy-blast hit him on the head, erasing his memory for the second time that year.

He blinked and stared long at the psionic. She smiled and stood up, offering her hand to him. "I think Adam's about done with his research. Shall we?"

And smiling, he took her hand and led her out of the room, and out of his life, forever.


	12. Days

**Title: Severed Connection**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**  
**Prompt: Days**  
**Word Count: 362**  
**Rating: G**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue. And sorry, my other stories are all hanging by a thread. It's the holidays, plus my boss suddenly decided to give me a book to layout on my own. Barely have time. Sorry. Merry Christmas everyone.**

He found himself standing in her room days after her death. He looked around; he could still smell her, feel her everywhere. It was as if she left her soul in there so that he could have the liberty of being with her whenever he wanted. As if she had planned all of these. As if she knew from the start that she was going to die.

Running a shaky hand over his dark hair, a gesture that Jesse would usually do, he scanned her quarters for anything that would prove that she still cared for him like before. Deep inside he knew she did, but he wanted to make sure. After all, he had felt her slowly slip away from him, especially for the past few weeks.

He couldn't blame her though. He knew that partly it was his fault. He had given too much attention to the other female in the group – the aggressive, sexy feral that always made his hormones rise up more than the normal level whenever she flashes her devilish smile at him. And for a while it felt good to receive the same vibes from the feline. But attractions like that rarely last.

And a few days after her death he started wishing that she'd come back so that they could start over again.

_"We have a connection, Bren, a special bond that we share, an invisible thread that nobody else but us can see," she told him simply one day while they were in his room, reading a Henry Longfellow's book together. "If you severe that connection then you'd lose me forever, and I won't come back to you." _

He grinned and massaged her shoulder lightly. "Come on Em, stop spooking me out like that," he joked. "You know you're the most special girl for me in the whole world."

"For now," she whispered as she buried her face in his chest.

She had been right. He had indeed severed that connection. And he lost her forever. But he continued searching the room, desperate to locate a single artifact which would prove that she had hung on to that connection to the very end.

But he found none.


	13. Weeks

**Title: Lapses  
Fandom: Mutant X  
Characters: Jesse Kilmartin, Shalimar Fox  
Prompt: Weeks  
Rating: G  
Word Count: 338  
Author's Notes: Not mine. Don't sue. And I know, it's a sad one. I just had to do it. Sorry. **

Three weeks later she would find him sitting alone in his room, holding a small picture frame in his hands. She would enter his quarters and realize that he has tears running down his cheeks, a silent evidence of the grief he was feeling.

"Jesse…" she would try to say, but find out that she couldn't offer any comfort for her brother and teammate. "I'm sorry."

And he would look up, offer her a weak smile in return, but the glaze over his blue orbs would betray him and reflect all the loneliness he was keeping locked down deep inside.

"Jess, it's nobody's fault," she would say just to calm him down, although she knew that no words could ease the pain the molecular was feeling.

"Something… something's wrong," he would answer back, and return his gaze to the lovely psionic in the photograph. "It's as if something's missing in me… like, something was taken away… a huge hole… something…"

And she would wrap her arms around him, mistaking his grief as something that normal people would feel when they lose someone they dearly love. She wouldn't understand that the emptiness Jesse was feeling was a result of Emma's erasure of his memory, the remnants of a confession she made just hours before her death.

"We have to move on Jess," she would whisper kindly in his ear, keeping herself from spilling the tears that she was holding back.

"No," the soft but steady reply would come. "You don't understand." And he would break away from the feral's embrace, and continue staring at Emma's photograph. "Something doesn't fit in the picture," he would say slowly. "I'm… starting to forget."

And she would shoot him a confused look before realizing that indeed, she was starting to forget as well.

"Jess…"

"I don't want to forget her Shal," the molecular would sob. "But… something's preventing me from remembering."

And she would speak no more, for in another few minutes, she would forget why he was grieving in the first place.


	14. Months

**Title: Delirium  
Fandom: Mutant X  
Characters: Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: Months  
Rating: G  
Word Count: 486  
Author's Notes: Not mine. Don't sue. And I know, it's a sad one. I just had to do it. Sorry.**

Months after her death he began to slowly realize that his friends no longer talked about her as often as they used to. Shalimar no longer cried many sleepless nights on the couch, aching for her soul sister to come back and brighten up the darkening walls of Sanctuary. Jesse no longer stayed up late in front of the computer console, pretending to hack a certain site when all the while tears were trickling mercilessly down his cheeks as he remembered the girl who had always managed to make him smile, no matter how bad the situation was. Lexa was slowly but surely replacing the void that their dear telempath had left, eating her way up into their hearts and forcing them to neglect the memories that begged to remain in their heads. It was as if he was the only one who remembered how it was like to smile every time the psionic would enter the premises, skating her way around them and playfully threatening to bend their minds once in a while.

And he didn't like that feeling.

He found himself standing in front of the stone where her name was lovingly engraved. He knelt down and traced the letters with his fingers, carefully, gently, as if he was caressing her cheek. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to the first time they met, back to that fateful night in the club, where his whole life would soon change all because of a single glance.

A sudden cool breeze made his spine tingle, and the elemental opened his eyes and saw a silhouette of a woman hovering about in a distance.

He forced out the words from his dry throat as the figure started to move away. "Em?" he called huskily, not wanting to believe his eyes. It was her – the long, red hair, the kind, blue eyes, the soft, innocent smile. Was she merely a figment of his imagination, or did she really came back to reassure him that everything was not as hopeless as it looked like?

It didn't really matter; within seconds he was chasing after the ghost from his past, aching to hold her in his arms one last time. But the silhouette kept moving away, taunting him, playfully inviting him to follow, much like what Emma used to do when she was still alive.

He stopped a few inches from the edge of the cliff, forcing himself to step back lest he falls down the icy waters. He looked around; the ghost was no longer there. Was he going crazy? He could have sworn he saw her. There was no mistaking in the way she looked lovingly into his eyes, reaching into the depths of his soul, like she always did. But one more scan of the surroundings proved that he had been all alone, and that she remained dead. Dead to them, dead to him.


	15. Years

**Title: Resurrection**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Character: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble**  
**Prompt: Years**  
**Word Count: 719**  
**Rating: PG**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue. I'm actually back, imagine that. Next chapter will have nothing to do with this one, I think. So enjoy this while you can.**

Two years later she came back from nowhere and declared that she had risen from the dead. And although they don't believe in ghosts and spirits, the way she said her lines made them think otherwise.

Jesse, the closest she had in the group prior to her _death _was now the most distant -- always watching her from afar, studying her as if she was an outsider, a stranger that needed constant re-evaluation before being accepted into the team once more. And she knew that it was a side effect of what she did to him years back, his subconscious' way of repressing the painful memories of a person whom he had loved with all he had. Good for him. Finally, the boy who grew up with a silver spoon understood what the real world truly was.

Shalimar was more receptive, yet there was still that distance that didn't exist before she left. The feral no longer needed her as a soul sister; she already had Lexa, and the other woman was more than enough to keep her entertained for ages. She kept on saying that she was happy that Emma was back, but the psionic knew that Shalimar was fooling no one else but herself.

Lexa was a different story. Emma knew very well that the woman was afraid of her, that she feared her from the innermost depths of her soul. And she loved it.

Probably the only one who was truly grateful for her return was the one person she didn't expect to be. Brennan became so attentive to her needs, always offering her help and asking her how she's doing. She'd smile inwardly; perhaps she made a mistake not to scramble up his mind the way she did to Jesse and Shalimar.

But she lacked the time, and besides, she didn't think Brennan would cling to her for so long after she died.

Yes, she knew Jesse would never forgive himself because of her death, so she made him forget her slowly, day by day, week by week. She knew there were fallbacks; the molecular turned cold afterwards, but it was the only way to spare him from the pain that he would have undergone otherwise.

And Shalimar. She knew how emotional that feral could be. Very protective of her pack, especially her _little sister_. So she made up her mind and erased the feral's memory too. It was actually easier to mess up her mind, and Emma wished she could laugh at the silliness of the situation.

But she rarely smiled anymore.

She didn't bother working on Brennan because she had considered him distant even when she was still with the team back then. Given, he was her protector and all that, but he wasn't really there, not when the clock began ticking away for her. Emma made a mistake of not erasing his memory, for now he was becoming more and more attached to the psionic as every day passed by.

And she hated the fact that she was starting to cling to him again.

She swore that she would not depend on the team any longer, and that the only reason she came back was to prove to them that she didn't need them anymore. How ironic. But slowly she was regretting even returning, for the way Brennan would look sincerely into her eyes made her remember the attraction she felt for him when they first met. Ah, just like a high school girl with a silly crush on her classmate's brother.

And soon her defenses came crashing down all over again, and one day she suddenly found herself drowning into his beautiful brown eyes.

"Did you ever really die?" he whispered as he cornered her in a small space of their new home, touching her cheek very carefully lest she flinch.

"It's better not to talk about such trivialities, Bren," she whispered back, all too aware of the way she was loosing her cool.

"Not a single day passed by when I didn't think of you."

"I know."

Eyelids closed, lips touched, and again she wondered if she was making the biggest mistake in her life. She'd never tell him though, never confess that soon she was going to die once again, and that this time, there was no coming back.


	16. Red

**Title: Fire**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Character: Emma DeLauro, Shalimar Fox, Ensemble**  
**Prompt: Red**  
**Word Count: 514**  
**Rating: PG**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue. This idea came from gelf's suggestion when I wrote the _Nightwatch_ fic a couple of months back. I'll be doing one for all the members of the team.**

She dreamt of fire. How ironic.

For someone who had spent most of her life fearing those red-orange flames, it amazed the psionic that her feral friend would dream about fire almost every night.

The first time she entered Shalimar's dream she thought that the feral was having a nightmare because she was surrounded by a red, fuming blaze. Yet when she took a closer look the feral was actually quite enjoying herself, defiantly touching the small tongues of red flames that were nearest to her. The resident coy smile she had on her face proved that she wasn't afraid of getting burned; on the other hand, it appeared that she was trying to get as close as she could to the source of fire as possible.

_Interesting, _the psionic thought.

The very next night she returned, not expecting to see the same scene before her once more. Shalimar playing with fire, her eyes fixed on the red, playful flames around her.

And after a week of visiting the feral in her sleep, Emma finally decided it was time to do a little experiment.

The following night she purposefully stepped beside Shalimar and touched her right shoulder. The feral jumped at the presence of someone else, and was even more alarmed when she found out that it was the psionic.

"Emma?" she gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," replied the angelic face that kept dark secrets locked in her head. "I never knew you like to play with fire, Shal."

"I… I don't," came the nervous answer.

"Then what's this?" Emma asked, taking a ball of fire and bringing it inches from the feral's face. Shalimar quickly scampered away, leaving the psionic alone in the middle of the ring of fire that enveloped the dream.

"What's wrong Shal?" she cooed, smiling and taking a step forward to the direction where the feral had fled.

"Em, please," her friend begged. "Please."

"What's wrong?" she asked, still holding the flame on her hand. "This is just a dream, isn't it? What are you so afraid of?"

And just before she could utter another word, Shalimar screamed loud enough to wake everyone in Sanctuary from their slumber.

* * *

"Is she going to be all right?" demanded a worried elemental.

The scientist rubbed his forehead in exhaustion. "Yes, it was just a nightmare," he told Brennan for the nth time since they came rushing into Shalimar's room ten minutes ago. The feral was now clinging around Jesse's neck, sobbing and burying her face in the molecular's chest.

Emma sat directly beside her, rubbing her back and sending her calming emotions to quiet her down. When Jesse finally asked her what she had dreamt about, the feral looked up and stared at her friends.

"I… I don't remember."

And Emma had to hide a small, satisfied smile, knowing full well that her powers were indeed growing, for she wasn't able to merely enter the feral's dream; she was able to erase any trace of her being there as well.


	17. Gold

**Title: Midas**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Adam Kane, Mason Eckhart**

**Prompt: Yellow**

**Word Count: 655**

**Rating: PG**

**Author's Notes: Not mine. Don't sue. This idea came from gelf's suggestion when I wrote the _Nightwatch _fic a couple of months back. I'll be doing one for all the members of the team.**

She read somewhere that another name for Cowardice is Yellow; she just couldn't recall from where she got that tidbit of knowledge. Yet she wasn't particularly interested with the source or origin of information; rather she was intrigued with the fact that the scientist's dreams were always, always of this hue.

As a psionic Emma knew it was normal for people, ordinary or new mutant, to be afraid of some things, to be all cowards to a certain extent. She has dealt with all types of fear that others had projected unknowingly, and she was well aware that Adam also has nightmares of his own, skeletons in his closet that he hoped no one would ever find out.

But to dream of the same thing over and over again was surely something out of the ordinary.

Not surprisingly enough the scenes of most of the scientist's dreams were in Genomex; an aftereffect of working for an institution which catered to his need of playing god and 'saving' lives. Emma would usually see him walking aimlessly in the corridors, his eyes blank, while all around a shiny tint of gold reflected his every move. Once or twice she even saw Adam talking with Eckhart, the two plotting over some devious plan to bring down all new mutants once and for all.

Still she wondered what it was that the scientist was afraid of the most; why his dreams always have a shade of yellow or gold; what was it that was really going on in that genius's mind.

So after observing for two more days, the psionic finally made her move.

She positioned herself inside Eckhart's office, waiting for Adam to enter, knowing full well that in that particular dream the scientist would talk to Mason about something. As if on cue, a tall man in an all-black attire entered the small office and nodded in the direction of the chair. Eckhart was already seated there, and Emma was standing beside him, clad in GSA attire and all.

Adam nodded to her as well, probably unmindful of the fact that he was about to expose a deep, dark secret in front of their resident psionic. Emma managed a small smile, noting with disdain that Adam's facial expression remained stoic, although the room shined a brilliant yellow as soon as he entered.

"I assume you have new information to give me, Adam," came the cold voice of Eckhart, making the psionic turn.

The scientist nodded vaguely, miraculously produced a disc out of nowhere (who said dreams have to make sense anyway?) and handed it to his colleague. "Stored in there are the data we need to complete level one of our plan."

"Well done," was the only answer he got, and Eckhart took the disc and faded into the background.

She was left with him in the room, and when she returned her gaze she caught him studying her intently. "What did you give him Adam?" she whispered, eager to know what he was so afraid of.

The scientist eyed her tiredly, and answered the question without feeling. Yet when he opened his mouth Emma found out that she could not hear a word he was saying, and so she was left unable to understand his confession. She tried asking once more time, but again the sound of her mentor's voice cannot reach her ears. She tried to lip-read but it was to no avail. It was only when she felt that the scientist was already stirring that she slowly began to withdraw from the dream.

Yet as she was about to completely disappear she caught a phrase, the faintest of all voices, the summary of confession of the scientist that would soon betray the team he founded.

And Emma woke up, all drenched in sweat, as her mind slowly started to process what she had heard.

"…_break the team apart until Mutant X is no more…"_


	18. Orange

**Title: Pleasant Discovery**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Jesse Kilmartin**

**Prompt: Orange**

**Word Count: 620**

**Rating: PG**

**Author's Note: Not mine, don't sue. Really. This idea came from gelf's suggestion when I wrote the _Nightwatch_ fic a couple of months back. I'll be doing one for all the members of the team.**

_Silly molecular._

That was the first reaction she had when she entered Jesse's dream for the first time. Unlike Shalimar and Adam, Jesse's dream had nothing to do with deep, profound things such as his fear or secret passion. Instead, it was a lively one, filled with confetti and glitters and sprinkles of all colors.

_Is it possible that he's gay?_ she thought dryly but quickly shook off the thought. She of people would think about such a thing! She, who could feel the wave of lust from her friend every time she entered the room. She, who knew how Jesse had been eyeing her for some time now. She, who knew the molecular was really more of a player than Brennan and Adam combined.

Not that she minded the attention; in fact, she found him rather attractive as well. But that's not the point.

Unlike the other two, Jesse's dream filled Emma with a sense of lightheartedness, freedom, joy. It was easy for her to lower her defenses and participate in the dream without second thought. She joined Jesse as the molecular turned and turned around, hands raised upward to catch falling glitters and snowflakes that began to fall from who knows where.

Jesse turned to her and smiled. Taking her hand he twirled her around, guiding her through a difficult dance that she didn't knew. After the dance they were already laughing and flirting more openly, falling down the crystal floor and tickling each other.

After settling down a bit Jesse turned to his side and faced the still perspiring psionic.

"Had fun?" he asked.

"Sure did," was her reply, her eyes twinkling for she knew what her friend was about to do next. Surprisingly enough she didn't try to stop him when he lowered his lips on hers. It was only a dream anyway, might as well make the most out of it.

She wasn't sure how it ended, but she suddenly found herself snuggled on his chest, his arms around her waist protectively. She had her eyes closed, and she could hear the faint beating of his heart.

"Jesse?" she whispered and waited for a response.

"Hm?"

"Are… are all your dreams like this?" She opened her eyes and found herself drowning in his beautiful blue eyes.

"What? You mean, with you in it?"

A nod.

"Most of the time," he replied, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Ever since you joined the team."

She giggled; obviously he's thinking that this was just one of those dreams again. It flattered her to some extent, knowing for sure now that the molecular was indeed falling for her. "Jess, what if I told you that you can't dream of me anymore?" she joked, playfully biting her lower lip and waiting for a reply.

Suddenly the world around her began to fade into a sad orange hue, so sad that she wished she didn't ask the question in the first place.

"I'm sorry," she quickly added. "I was just playing with you, you know? You can dream of me all you want."

The orange background remained, but Jesse did manage a small smile. "Only in my dreams can I hold you like this," he whispered, and for a second Emma wondered if he knew that she entered his dream on purpose, if he noticed the difference between his earlier dreams and the one he was having now. "Please don't leave my dreams Em. That I cannot take."

And because of that, every night, even after her so-called death, she would visit him in his dreams, reassuring him that she won't leave, determined not to see that orange world, which for a short while enveloped her beloved molecular, again.


	19. Green

**Title: Mt. Fuji**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Character: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**  
**Prompt: Green**  
**Word Count: 488**  
**Rating: G**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue. This idea came from gelf's suggestion when I wrote the _Nightwatch_ fic a couple of months back. I'll be doing one for all the members of the team.**

Finding out that the elemental's dreams were mostly about nature brought a genuine laugh from the psionic. How many times had she heard her dear best friend and pseudo-brother mutter something about him not doing nature? It was so hilarious to find out that Brennan was, in fact, a nature-lover at heart; so funny that she almost slipped from the slope she was standing on while she watched the elemental take another step up the glorious mountain inside his dream.

In the particular dream they were in, Brennan was trekking up Mt. Fuji; not exactly something that a city boy who 'doesn't do nature' would normally dream of. But there he was, in complete hiking gear and attire, holding a wooden pole to support himself while accomplishing his perfect adventure.

Emma, after hovering around and watching him for a few more minutes, finally took the liberty of showing herself. Perhaps the elemental wouldn't react as violently as their feral friend had when she tried to invade one of her dreams. Maybe she'd even discover things about Brennan that none of them had known before.

Suddenly appearing to her side she smiled brightly at her best friend and asked him casually where he's going. The elemental, obviously aware that it was all a dream, didn't bother asking how she got there. Besides, weren't dreams supposed to not make any sense?

"I want to reach the top," came the cool reply, and for a second Emma wondered if he was talking about the mountain or his current status in life.

"What's up there anyway?" she asked, tilting her head and linking her arm with him. He smiled simply and answered, "The world."

She wasn't sure she understood what that meant, so she pressed on and continued asking. The elemental answered each question patiently, all the while helping her walk and guiding her whenever she tried to stray away from the trail. After a few more inquiries and they reached the mountain top, and her eyes grew in awe and sheer pleasure when Brennan showed her the view below.

Lush green forests covered the area, and Emma suddenly felt at peace with herself. How did the elemental know that she finds comfort in such things? Or perhaps, maybe, just maybe, Brennan was connected to her in more ways than she could ever imagine.

Taking her hand and enclosing it in his own, the elemental offered her his kindest smile and joined her in looking at the view. "You don't have to enter my dreams to know what I'm thinking Em," and for a second she tried to figure out if he was saying that because he knew of her nightly activities, or he was just going with the flow of the dream.

Dismissing the thought and thinking that she could never find out for sure, the psionic contented herself to continue watching the view while Brennan took hold of her hand.


	20. Blue

**Title: Alone**  
**Fandom: Mutant X**  
**Character: Emma DeLauro**  
**Prompt: Blue**  
**Word Count: 100**  
**Rating: G**  
**Author's Notes: Don't own them. Don't sue. Just thought of trying something different. Enjoy.**

she stares at the stars at night  
brightly shining  
twinkling  
like precious jewels from afar

tears no longer fall  
from her sad, blue eyes  
beautiful as a gem  
rare and hypnotizing

already numb from pain  
cold as ice  
hard as stone  
yet brittle as glass

flooded with emotions  
none of which  
are her own

a mere reflection  
like the vision  
she sees every time  
she sits by the poolside

an attempt to find her true self  
isolated  
but still a futile journey

one last time  
a tear trickled  
not from those beautiful orbs  
but from her fragile, hurting heart


	21. Purple

**Title:** When the Purple Settles  
**Fandom:** Mutant X  
**Characters:** Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray  
**Prompt:** Purple  
**Word Count:** 107  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** She can never hate him for so long.  
**Author's Notes:** I'm back. Hoorah. I do not hoard ownerships. Don't sue.

He had hurt her, but there was no way she was letting him know that.

Four simple words, but they almost severed the bond they shared. Four syllables, yet they caused more damage than the time he had intentionally hit her because of Lorna Templeton.

_Fate's a real bitch._

But she forgave him. She always does. When the purple settled, she found herself saving his life, like she had done countless times before.

_Emma, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be here. You saved my life and I will never forget that._

And she merely smiled back.

She loved him too much to hate him forever.


	22. Brown

**Title:** Morning Walk  
**Fandom:** Mutant X  
**Characters:** Emma DeLauro, Jesse Kilmartin  
**Prompt:** Brown  
**Word Count:** 142  
**Rating:** G  
**Summary:** She thinks she doesn't deserve him. But she stays by his side nonetheless.  
**Author's Notes:** I'm back. Hoorah. I do not hoard ownerships. Don't sue.

His brown, leather jacket found its way cozily wrapped around her shoulders one chilly morning, when she had decided to take an early walk and forgot to bring her sweater with her. Luckily he was outside as well, and upon seeing her shivering like a little stray puppy, he willingly gave up his jacket to protect her from the biting cold.

His gentleness to her never ceased to amaze her. Whenever he would look at her with those kind, blue eyes and smile his resident charming smile, she would always wonder what she did to deserve such a friend. He had been with her through thick and thin, and the friendship they have was something she would treasure for all of her life.

Pulling the jacket closer to her, she contented herself with continuing her morning walk, with him by her side.


	23. Black

**Title:** Of Shirts and Hair Dye  
**Fandom:** Mutant X  
**Characters:** Emma DeLauro, Adam Kane  
**Prompt:** Black  
**Word Count:** 122  
**Rating:** G  
**Summary:** She wonders about his sense of style.  
**Author's Notes:** I'm back. Hoorah. I do not hoard ownerships. Don't sue.

She has always wondered why he wore black clothes all the time. Whether inside of Sanctuary or during a life-or-death mission, the scientist always, always wore black. It's as if he had walked in a department store, got twenty pairs of black long-sleeved shirts and matching pants, and then gingerly flashed his credit card at the counter. Her curiosity over such a fetish drove her up the walls. She wanted to ask him so badly but never found the courage to do so. She would have just read his mind but figured that that would be a waste of time. So she remained clueless, just as the scientist remained puzzled with the reason why she had decided to dye her hair red.


	24. White

**Title:** White Lie  
**Fandom:** Mutant X  
**Characters:** Emma DeLauro, Shalimar Fox  
**Prompt:** White  
**Word Count:** 104  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** Her little white lie did everyone good, except for her.  
**Author's Notes:** I'm back. Hoorah. I do not hoard ownerships. Don't sue.

She was her soul sister, and because of that she chose to sacrifice her own happiness just to make sure she won't get hurt.

She had loved him from the start, but she can see in the feral's eyes that she desired the elemental much more than she herself does.

So when Shalimar finally confronted her and asked if she was feeling something for Brennan, Emma shook her head and smiled amusingly, feigning puzzlement over such a suspicion.

And that little white lie caused her heart to break, for in another week Shalimar announced to the world that she and Brennan were officially together.


	25. Colorless

**Title:** Phobia  
**Fandom:** Mutant X  
**Characters:** Emma DeLauro  
**Prompt:** Colourless  
**Word Count:** 108  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** She's not scared of the dark.  
**Author's Notes:** I'm back. Hoorah. I do not hoard ownerships. Don't sue.

It wasn't the dark that scared her. She can handle that pretty well; she had been in situations where she had to hide herself in corners and shadows in order not to get caught. It's the colorless world that frightened her. Being blind didn't mean that you see nothing but black. You don't see anything, period. But it's not as simple as seeing nothing, because she can always see things in her head. She was afraid of blindness because that meant permanently being able to see a colorless world of other people's emotions in her head, without any assurance that the world outside is of a different hue.


	26. Rain

**Title: Parallels**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: Rain**

**Words: 496**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: They are connected in more ways than either of them knows.**

**A/N: Death is unnerving, but it is real. Too real. Still, we all must deal with it. I do not own Mutant X. This is especially for Aurore, for the support she gave during this dark hour of my life. And Bren too. Thank you both. **

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

Everyone thought she was dead. And for a while, she really was.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

He lies on his bed, alone. Sleep won't come, and he finds himself tangled in his sheets, drenched in his own cold sweat. He sees her clearly in his mind, like the many times he did when she was still there.

Alive.

Outside, the rain pours down steadily.

He wishes that his tears can be like that.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

He had planned on telling her the truth after that mission. Admit the feelings he had kept hidden for a long time. The sole reason why he stayed with the team.

He never had the chance to do it.

She died. Just like that.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

_Emma, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here. You saved my life and I will never forget that._

That voice. Such a familiar voice. It repeats itself over and over in her head. The only company she had for the past year. The sole reason why she desperately wants to go back.

She needs to find the owner of that voice.

Outside, the rain pours down steadily.

The eagerness in her soul is nothing compared to it.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

He walks aimlessly in the streets, the pitter-patter of raindrops his only melody. He knows Shalimar would be worried when she finds out that he had left without telling anyone, but he doesn't really care.

He doesn't care about anything anymore.

The void growing inside of him is starting to eat him whole. And not one, save from his soul mate, could save him.

Unfortunately, she's dead.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

She wanders around, confused. She doesn't know where she came from, and she doesn't know where she's going. Her bare feet are covered with mud, her white dress soaked with rain.

She has no memory other than that soothing voice inside her head.

And she needs to find him, whoever he is.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

He sees a young woman standing in front of the remains of Sanctuary. Her dress is dripping wet, her red hair soaked and tangled. Despite the rain he can see that tears are rolling down her pale cheeks, and his heart hammers wildly in his chest.

She's alive.

It can't be.

She's supposed to be dead.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

She turns around slowly, feeling a familiar presence behind her. A man stares, surprise and longing all over his handsome face. She has seen him from somewhere, she's sure of that. She just can't remember where, or when, or how.

She waits.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

He calls her name. It was the sweetest word he had ever tasted.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

She hears his voice. It was the gentlest voice she had ever heard.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

"Emma."

She waits for him to come nearer, for him to wrap his strong arms around her frail body, for him to hold her close.

She doesn't remember his name, or who he is, but she closes her eyes and lets his warmth fill her soul.

She knows she's home.

END


	27. Snow

**Title: Reunion**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble**

**Prompt: Snow**

**Words: 727**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: She remembers.**

**A/N: I know I placed END at the end of my Parallels fic, but I thought of continuing it instead. Enjoy. Oh. I'm actually done with Putting the Pieces Back Together, but the last three chapters are in my computer at home and I'm still too lazy to get them and upload in the site. Maybe this week though. **

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

She sits on his bed, her frail body wrapped around a thick blanket. She shivers, not so much from the cold, but from the glare she received from the brunette she and Brennan met on their way back to his home.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

"_Lexa, this is Emma," he said casually, his strong arm wrapped around her shoulders as he introduced her to the chromatic molecular. The woman didn't even give so much of a smile. Instead, she immediately lashed out on him._

"_Since when do dead people come back to life?"_

_It was as if she knew something that he didn't, and she's trying to cover up her anxiety by being sarcastic._

_Brennan merely glared back and continued walking towards his room, unmindful of the deadly stare behind him._

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

She listens as he moves inside the bathroom, rummaging through his things for something he could lend her. She remembers him introducing himself.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

"_Don't you remember me?" he asked, touching her face and wiping away raindrops. "It's Brennan, Em. It's me."_

_She didn't know him, but she nodded otherwise._

"_Come on, let's get you home."_

_And she allowed him to bring her back._

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

A shriek. She looks up and sees a blonde woman standing in the doorway. She doesn't know her either, but she assumes she's Brennan's friend. Five wide steps and she finds herself locked in her arms, her face buried in her hair.

"Oh my God Emma it's really you!"

She doesn't break free, even when she's uncomfortable with the whole scenario.

Out in the corner of her eye she sees Brennan emerge from the bathroom with a bathrobe, and he stares at them with uncertainty.

"Shal."

The woman turns around and smiles. "Where did you find her?" she cries. "Lexa told me, but I didn't want to believe it."

He flinches; he doesn't know what to do. How could he tell her everything he feels? That he's not in love with her, but with the fragile girl in her arms?

"Emma?"

All heads turn to the doorway, and there stood another man, confusion and unbelief painted across his face.

Brennan groans inwardly; he's not prepared for questions yet. He wants to spend time alone with Emma, and he knows he can't, with both Shalimar and Jesse knowing she's back.

She offers a small smile, even when she doesn't recognize the newcomer. Something about him is familiar though, and she tries to picture in her mind where she has seen him before. She never gets the chance to think further.

Strong arms find its way around her, and for all her powers she didn't expect the emotions coming from this man to be this strong. She sees Brennan staring at them with sadness, and somehow she understands that there's supposed to be something between her and this guy that would prevent Brennan from being too close to her.

A vision flashes across her eyes.

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

_Snowflakes. _

_She laughed as she ran away from him, throwing a snowball at his face and dodging his counterattack. He was gaining at her, and within seconds they were both rolling down the cold, snow-covered ground. _

_After the last fits of laughter subsided, he pulled her close, both of them still lying on the ground. _

"_We better get back before they miss us too much," she kidded him, forcing her self to sit up._

_He merely pulled her back down and laughed. "Naw, I'm pretty sure Brennan and Shalimar are too busy checking each other out to even notice we're gone," was the reply._

_She giggled. "Jesse, we're in the middle of the dojo. This snow simulation is very lovely, but if they find us here I'll never live this down."_

"_What? Can't I spend a little quality time with my favorite girl?"_

_She grinned and removed the snowflakes from his forehead. She was about to answer when she felt him, a presence that was staring at them from behind. She turned and saw Brennan, hidden in a corner, watching them with envious eyes._

-o-O-EmmaxBrennan-O-o-

She groans and grabs her head in pain. Jesse tries to ask her what's wrong, but Brennan quickly pushes him away.

"Emma? What's wrong baby?" he asks, kneeling down and holding her cheeks.

Their eyes lock, and he sees something in them that scare and excite him at the same time.

"You remember."


	28. Lightening

**Title: Lighting Crashes**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble**

**Prompt: Lightening**

**Words: 551**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: Things are starting to become complicated.**

**A/N: Third part of Emma's resurrection series. Not sure how far or long this story will go. Don't own them, so don't bother suing. Enjoy, and leave a review if you will. Thanks.**

Lightning crashes.

The power suddenly goes off, and the four friends find themselves unmoving inside Brennan' room.

Shalimar's eyes immediately flashes, being accustomed to the darkness because of her mutation. She looks around, and sees him still staring into Emma's eyes. She could see his lips move, but for all her feral hearing she could not decipher a word he's saying.

She sees tears falling down Emma's eyes, and she wonders what's happening between the two.

Out in the corner of her eye she sees Jesse looking at their direction as well.

"_You remember, don't you, Em?" he whispers with his lips, but no voice comes out from his mouth. He knows she could understand him nonetheless; they are connected in more ways than others would care to believe. He is certain that she could hear him in her head._

"_I do."_

_Her lips never move, but he could hear her inside his head as well. Tears are streaming down her face, and for a second he worries that the sudden rush of memories is bad for her._

"_What am I supposed to do?"_

_And he understands her concern. She died while she was still with Jesse, and he with Shalimar. There is no way they could reverse the past, and Brennan knows Emma's frightened of the future._

"_Shalimar loves you. And I'm supposed to love Jesse."_

_Involuntary tears run down his cheeks, and he is thankful that darkness covers them all._

Jesse squints in the darkness, still figuring out what is going on. Something is definitely off with the picture, and he isn't one who'd take things like these lightly.

A flash of lighting illumines the room for a split second.

And he sees her teary eyes.

His heart does an involuntary skip.

She's crying.

_He remains quiet; not one word or thought comes out from him. It is she who shatters the silence in their minds._

"_But I don't think I love him anymore."_

_Despite all his inhibitions he isn't able to stop himself from smiling. He knows he had won the fight, even if he hasn't done anything yet. He knows it. He had felt it in the way Emma looked at him before, even when she was supposed to be with the molecular. She had felt the same, but was too loyal to her friend to make a stand. She'd never hurt Shalimar, not then, not now._

_It is up to him to make a move._

She stands in the doorway, eyes squinting against the darkness. Impatience gets the best of her, and she uses her hand to produce a temporary light for all of them. The four people in the room all blink, their eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness.

"Show's over," Lexa booms.

Heads turn, and Brennan doesn't know if he should be grateful for the distraction. He watches as Shalimar stands up and nods, and Jesse immediately scoots over to Emma to hold her close.

_The moron, _he thought angrily. Lexa was standing in front of them and the idiot is acting like she's not there. Not definitely the wisest decision he's made.

But then, come to think of it, Shalimar's there as well, and he hasn't really paid too much attention to her.

Things are starting to become complicated.


	29. Thunder

Title: Snippets

Fandom: Mutant X

Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble

Prompt: Thunder

Word Count: 315

Rating: PG

Summary: One stormy night is all it took.

A/N: I'm back. Everyone faint. It's been a crazy month, forgive me.

He knows he has unfinished business with her, and it kills him inside, knowing that someone else expects to be with him now. He never imagined having to choose between two lovely ladies, and truth be told, he wishes that he didn't have to. But everyone is silently waiting for a decision, and all he could think of is how beautiful Emma's eyes look like in the darkness of their home.

She knows she should love him, but she couldn't make her heart beat faster whenever he's around. Instead her chest tightens whenever her best friend is in sight, betraying her earlier resolution not to fall in love with him. Shalimar is still her friend.

All he wants to do is run away with her, and he would have if he didn't care for the feral. He doesn't love her as much as he loves Emma. She should have known that from the start.

She could feel something had changed the minute Emma came back into their lives, as if he suddenly began to distance himself from her. She wasn't dumb not to see the way he looks at his best friend. What she couldn't understand is why she had never seen that before, during the time Emma was still alive.

She knows he's confused, and she wants to slap him senseless just so he could make up his mind. It's killing her inside, knowing that someone else is inside Jesse's heart, and honestly she'd do anything to steal it back from her. She's just not sure if Jesse wants her to do that. So she makes no move.

One stormy night, as thunder and lighting threaten to disturb the safety of their home, he stole in her room and begged her to go with him to a place far, far away.

She knew it was crazy, but she agreed.


	30. Storm

Title: Happy Endings

Fandom: Mutant X

Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray

Prompt: Storm

Word Count: 361

Rating: PG

Summary: Happy endings happen not only in fairy tales.

A/N: I'm back. Everyone faint. It's been a crazy month, forgive me. This is the last of this series. I'm starting a new topic the next prompt.

"This is stupid."

She shivered, wrapping the blanket tighter around her frail body as the storm outside the little motel room lashed out angrily at the world.

He turned from the small cabinet, his hands suspended midair in an act of placing his clothes in one of the drawers. He could see that she was miserable, and he knew it was his fault that she was suffering a great deal. He should have known she would run away with him once he asked. He wasn't thinking clearly; all he wanted to do back then was to be with her without having to answer to any of the others' questions.

He put down his clothes and joined her on the bed. "We can go back," he said, sincerity in his voice.

She looked up and saw the sadness in his eyes, and it made her resolve stronger than ever. She shook her head and smiled. "No."

It was what he hoped she would say, and hearing her say it brought a big smile on his lips. "You sure?"

She nodded. "But we have to inform them soon that we're all right. I don't want them to be worried."

Brennan laughed. "I don't think that's what they're feeling right now." He immediately saw the luster in Emma's eyes fade, and he wrapped his arms around her as a response. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this."

She shook her head and rested her head on the crook of his neck. "I shouldn't have come with you."

"We can get through this Em," the elemental whispered, planting a small kiss on her forehead. "They'll forgive us. I know they will. I just can't bear lying to everyone anymore. I need to be with you."

She nodded and buried her face in his chest. "Will we ever get a happy ending?"

He remained silent for a few minutes, not knowing what to answer.

"Bren?"

Cupping her face with his hands, he smiled gently at her. "I'm not a precog, but I can promise you I'll do everything in my power to give you the happy ending you deserve."

That was all she needed to hear.


	31. Friends

**Title: Suicide**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro**

**Prompt: Friends**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 100**

**Summary: It's all real, too real.**

**A/N: Just another version of why Emma had to die at the end of Season 2. Believe me, I can come up with countless theories about her death. Haha. Oh, and she's not mine, so don't go chasing and suing me.**

You realize your powers are evolving drastically when you suddenly find yourself able to read your friends' thoughts. You wonder for a second if you're hallucinating, but you soon discover that you're not. It's all real, too real. And it frightens you, scares you more than you would care to admit to anyone. And you try to push their thoughts away so you can have some peace and quiet. But you can't. So in the end you kill yourself, but even then you can still hear them, following you down in the underworld. And this time, there's no more escape.


	32. Lovers

**Title: Loveless**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro**

**Prompt: Lovers**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 215**

**Summary: She's so pretty, yet she doesn't have anyone to call her own.**

**A/N: I tried to make this a light ficlet, something humorous and sarcastic at the same time, but I'm not sure if it worked. Oh, and for the B/E shippers, you might detect some hints of Brennan almost always being there. Read it whatever way you want. I actually prefer it that way. Hahaha.**

She has a rather dull love life, which was ironic since she was one of the best catches in her era.

She had this little crush on Brennan when they first met, because he was her tall, dark and handsome knight-in-shining-armour from the GSA. But then her attraction for him sizzled out when he started acting like some moronic, idiotic alpha male.

Caleb was out of the question. The vampire used her, killing her in the process. Luckily she had Brennan to fry his guts out for her.

Tlyer was her soul mate, the one guy she felt connected to that easily other than Brennan. But then he had to die. Fate's a bitch, as Brennan would say so himself.

And she'd never understand where she stood with Jesse, because one day they'd be flirting, and the next he'd be chasing another human being who looked good in a skirt. He was definitely a cutie though, she would admit.

And Adam… shudder. He's a father figure. Enough said.

So other than the casual dates that never went too far, she never had any serious relationship to cherish.

Maybe she would have, if she wasn't turned off every time a total hottie thought of her in some way she deemed inappropriate.

Being a psionic sometimes suck.


	33. Strangers

**Title: Pre-MX Encounter**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray, GSA**

**Prompt: Strangers**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 100**

**Summary: First encounter of a dangerously funny kind.**

**A/N: I just love making fun of him. Forgive me. They're not mine. No suing.**

Emma runs from ugly men in black.

Emma enters noisy club to lose ugly men in black.

Emma bumps into nameless hottie inside the club.

Emma immediately senses something different from nameless hottie.

Emma asks nameless hottie to help her.

Emma projects feelings of fear and confusion to nameless hottie.

Emma watches and waits as nameless hottie blinks and stares at her like she had grown two heads.

Emma leaves when she realizes that nameless hottie doesn't have much brains to figure out her coded message.

Emma runs from ugly men in black.

Nameless hottie remains standing there, looking dumb.


	34. Family

**Title: Family Bunch**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble**

**Prompt: Family**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 166**

**Summary: They're the only real damily she's ever had.**

**A/N: Okay, this time, I was being really sarcastic. Can you guys tell? Haha. **

They're the only real family she's ever had.

Adam is the father figure who gives her allowance at the end of every week so she could buy new blouses and shoes whenever she wants to.

Brennan is the overprotective big brother who allowed only one guy to come close to her (it turned out that he was a vampire) and objected to all the other men she took fancy off (Tyler, whom she considered to be her soul mate). And ironically, she would always, always get into trouble whenever she was out with him.

Shalimar is the sassy big sister who gives her tips and advices about girly stuff. Thankfully she didn't influence her clothing style… or the lack of it.

Jesse is the sweet brother who teaches her computer codes and techniques. He also flirts with her every once in a while to boost her ego, and then runs off to chase other girls the next morning.

Yes, they're the only family she's ever had.


	35. Enemies

**Title: Precognition**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro**

**Prompt: Enemies**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 129**

**Summary: She did it for them.**

**A/N: Still not mine. Now leave me alone.**

She never considered Eckhart or Ashlocke as her biggest enemy, although both would have ranked second and third in her list. She knew they posed threats both to mutants and non-mutants alike, but she didn't really think either was capable of as much damage as they would want.

The person she considered her greatest enemy was herself. She was evolving, becoming more and more powerful each day, and she has no way of stopping it. And she'd never tell Adam, because she knew he'd most likely pod her when he finds out how powerful she could be. And she feared that one day her alter ego would win the fight and turn her against the people she loved so much.

So she kills herself before it comes to that.


	36. Parents

**Title: Of Hippies and Telempathy**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Mr. & Mrs. DeLauro**

**Prompt: Parents**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 100**

**Summary: She never blamed them for leaving her.**

**A/N: Still don't own them, but getting there. **

Her parents were hippies, and almost never bothered with her.

She was still underage when they'd abandoned her. Most people would think that they're worthless for leaving a helpless little child behind, and maybe they were. But Emma still grew up as a beautiful, talented woman, and she never resented them because she personally believed that things had gone brighter for her since she and her parents went their separate ways.

Besides, she couldn't possibly hate them for doing something that she manipulated them to do.

Who said Emma DeLauro didn't know the extent of her powers as a child?


	37. Children

**Title: Mission Number One**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Leo Pierce, Lexa Pierce**

**Prompt: Children**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 249**

**Summary: She was groomed to be the best.**

**A/N: Don't own them. No suing. And I just had to do this. You guys should have known I'd do something like this sooner or later. Hahaha.**

The children in the orphanage always had a way of making her uncomfortable. It didn't help that she was able to sense most of what they're feeling. She ended up with barely any friends, only occasional 17-year old boys trying to hit on her at such a young age.

She always had a way of dealing with them.

When she decided to leave the orphanage, she sensed relief from the superiors. She knew they were having trouble making her open up, but really, who would open up to a bunch of grownups who really didn't care much about her?

A week after leaving, the Dominion discovered her. And took her as their own.

The children there were not as bad as the ones in the orphanage, but they weren't that cool as well. She recalled a certain Leo Pierce trying to make the moves with her for a while, but one mind bending trick sent him scurrying away. She could vaguely remember having to deal with his twin sister after that. If she could only remember her name.

Years of training made her one of their top agents, and her biggest break came when they assigned her to monitor the moves of an underground new mutant group: Mutant X.

By then she was no longer a kid, so she got rid of her childish ways and did her assignment to the best of her ability.

Which included faking her death when the Dominion assigned her to a new mission.


	38. Teammates

**Title: Agent Number One**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro**

**Prompt: Teammates**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 137**

**Summary: She's living a double life, and none of them knew about it.**

**A/N: Don't own them. Don't sue. **

She watches them from a distance, never too near, never too far.

They all think she's dead, and though she's dying inside because of it, she lets it stay that way.

The higher ups thought they'd convinced her that she's keeping them safe by staying away from them.

For now, she'd keep her distance, until she's positive that she could fight back without jeopardizing her "teammates'" safety.

She should have known that taking that assignment would raise complications.

She was supposed to execute the plan without delay. Instead she compromised the success of the whole mission by growing too close to them.

Now she must suffer the consequences.

But she swears that she'd come back, stronger, more powerful, and she'd defeat the Dominion all by herself.

After all, everyone there considers her as their greatest secret weapon.


	39. Birth

**Title: Bundle of Joy**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble**

**Prompt: Birth**

**Rating: G**

**Word Count: 129**

**Summary: The baby had her pretty blue eyes and her father's adorable little smile.**

**A/N: Nope. Still not mine. Sigh.**

She gave birth to a lovely baby girl, and the team crowded around her, admiring the little bundle of joy in her arms.

The baby had her pretty blue eyes and her father's adorable little smile.

"Do you think she's a psionic just like her mother?" Shalimar cooed as she played with the baby's left hand.

A shot of electricity sent the feral gasping, and everyone laughed as she rubbed her arm and glared at the baby with a hurt look.

"I think she takes after her father," Jesse grinned.

Brennan beamed proudly and wrapped a loving arm around his wife.

"She's beautiful, ain't she?" Emma sighed, looking at the baby affectionately.

"As beautiful as you," the elemental whispered in her ear, doubling the joy she was already feeling.


	40. Death

**Title: Journal**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro**

**Prompt: Death**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Word Count: 716**

**Summary: She knows she's going to die.**

**A/N: I used an old fic for this prompt. Hope you guys don't mind.**

I know I'm going to die.

No, of course I'm not a precog... although, for the past few weeks my powers had been evolving faster than they're supposed to. Lately I don't just get hits of emotions from the people around me, but also snippets of thoughts and ideologies as well. At first in frightened me to no end, realizing that my genetic mutation is getting out of control, and knowing for a fact that not even Adam can help save me from my fate.

But my new abilities were of valuable help to me and the rest of the team.

I was able to protect Jesse from the illusion I sent the soldiers who threatened to hurt us. Jesse – sweet, naïve Jesse. I could still remember the sheer terror on his face. It was only for a split-second, but I knew that what I did to him affected not only his memory but his whole subconscious as well. But I cannot risk letting the others know that I am evolving. I want to spare them the pain of having to live everyday with the knowledge that any minute, any second, their precious psionic could die.

That's why I had to erase his memory.

And I helped Brennan control his mutation when it started going haywire. Adam and the others thought that I was merely aiding him by sending him telempathic blasts to calm him enough so he can get better access of his powers. What they don't know was that I programmed a psionic bubble inside his subconscious so that he wouldn't have to deal with his mutation anymore. I didn't simply help Brennan control his powers, I _controlled_ it for him. Spare him from the pain that he would have to go through. Although I knew it would affect him a little in the future – alter his way of thinking or his attitude by a fraction – I still believe I did the right thing.

That being said, I'll go back to my first confession. _I know I'm going to die._

And no, it's not simply because my genes are mutating faster than anyone else, but because I know there are people who are out to get me.

What? Did Adam think I was naïve enough to actually believe every word he says?

I know he's hiding something from us. And I didn't have to get inside his mind to do that. It's written all over his face – the way he tries to set everything right, the guilty look he wears whenever another unfortunate new mutant does something wrong as a result of his mutation, the little phone calls he makes late at night whenever he thinks that we're all asleep.

There is something more to Adam Kane than being a mere geneticist who wants to straighten out the mistakes he did in the past.

And that's why I know I'm going to die.

I'm this close in knowing the real motive behind creating a team of the strongest new mutants there is. And I know that whoever is behind the curtain is slowly growing restless, nervous, about my knowledge. And they would do anything to stop me from finding out the whole truth.

That's why I'm writing everything I know in this journal. So that the moment I die hopefully one of my teammates would discover this and realize that Adam had been using us all along. I can't let them know yet – not when I haven't gathered enough information to pin Adam down, and not when I know that the moment they find out what's going on, their lives would be in danger as well.

So I will keep this secret to myself until the day I'm strong enough to face Adam and confront him with everything I know. After all, I have always been alone, even when I'm with the others. No one else could share the pain that my gift brought along. Because you can't share pain you can't feel.

_Emma closes her journal and places it inside her small box, locking it up and hiding the key in a small crack below her desk drawer. She sighs as she stands up and carries the box to her closet, opening a secret door and hiding the box – and her secrets – inside._


	41. Too Much

**Title: Conspiracy**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble**

**Prompt: Too Much**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 438**

**Summary: They conspired with each other for one common goal: to stop this nonsense once and for all.**

**A/N: Don't sue. Not mine. I got crazy. It happens.**

It was already too much, and they knew they had to take action before it gets worse.

They conspired with each other for one common goal: to stop this nonsense once and for all.

She found them seated around the table at dinnertime, each one looking grim and stone-serious.

"Hey, what's up guys?"

"Emma, this has got to stop."

She turned to Brennan and frowned. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Emma honey, we know it will be hard, but you have got to stop this. It's not healthy."

"Huh?" she asked, staring at the feral.

"Em, this is not you. This isn't the Emma we know."

She was quickly reaching the edge of her patience, but she kept her poise intact. "What do you mean it's not me, Jess?"

"Emma." The scientist finally thought he had to butt in the conversation. "It's a unanimous decision. We have to get rid of that."

She was fully pissed off by now. "Get rid of what!"

Shalimar stood up and placed a hand on the psionic's shoulder. "Please don't think we're doing this because we want to hurt you. We're just concerned."

She slapped the feral's hand away and stepped back. "Do I need to psyblast each one of you before you tell me what's going on?"

Brennan stood up and looked at her squarely. "Em, that red hair has to go."

Complete silence.

Then a scream. "What do you mean the red hair has to go!"

Jesse quickly tried to calm down the psionic. "We just think that red hair doesn't look good on you. Why don't you go back to your original hair color? It brings out the color of your eyes."

"Dude, do you know how gay you just sounded?" came the sarcastic comment from the elemental.

Emma absolutely freaked out. "Listen, no one tells me what to do with my hair! I like this color, and I'm keeping it! And there's not a thing you can do about it!" Glaring at them angrily one last time, she stomped out of the kitchen and headed for her room to cool her head.

Silence.

"Well, that didn't work out so well, did it?" Adam finally muttered.

"I told you we should have just grabbed her and forced the black hair dye."

"Very smart Jesse."

"What? You have a better idea, blockhead?"

"Now now boys, don't make me snap your heads off."

Silence.

"Do you think she's really angry with us?"

"Why don't you ask her Jess?"

"Why me?"

"You're the one who thought of this in the first place."

"And you agreed. We're equally guilty."

"Ah shut up."


	42. Not Enough

**Title: Beautiful Disaster**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: Not enough**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 141**

**Summary: He was never enough, but she didn't have to strength to push him away.**

**A/N: I couldn't help it. I need to get right back on my B/E track. **

When she first found him seated on her bed, looking lost and uncertain, she knew it would be the start of a very strange relationship.

Many nights after that she found herself locked in his arms, holding her breath lest he flinched.

She never asked what happened that night he first came to her, and she wasn't sure she wanted to find out. She had learned a long time ago never to ask questions of which you don't want to hear the answers.

And so she allowed him to continue holding her close, even when she knew it was wrong.

He was never enough, but she didn't have to strength to push him away.

She knew he needed her more than she needed him. And somewhere deep inside she wondered what kind of beautiful disaster will arise because of her decision.


	43. Sunrise

**Title: Secret Sanctuary**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Jesse Kilmartin**

**Prompt: Sunrise**

**Rating: G**

**Word Count: 306**

**Summary: She made him swear not to tell the secret to anyone else. He obliged.**

**A/N: Not mine, don't sue. And even if I'm a huge B/E fan, I still find the J/E couple cute. So once in a while I try to get out of my conventional pairing and write stories about this ship. **

She woke up early that day to watch the sunrise from a secluded spot outside Sanctuary; not that every small nook and corner in that vast area wasn't secluded or anything. Grabbing her sweater from her coats' hanger and a bottle of red tea from the fridge, she literally tiptoed out of her home lest she accidentally wakes up a sleeping feral or gets discovered by the scientist who never seemed to sleep.

It was one of those days that she wanted to be alone.

She reached the place just in time for the first rays of the sun peeping out of the mountains. Breathing in the fresh, clean air, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of solitude, the few precious minutes that she didn't have to worry about getting any stray emotion from anyone.

But even that was short-lived.

She sensed him watching her from behind, and she knew that an amused look was affixed on his beautiful face. How he found out about her secret hideout she'd never ask.

"Jesse."

The molecular grinned and sheepishly joined her in watching as the sun rose up slowly but elegantly in the blue sky, a royal king sitting on his throne for another day.

"I saw you slipping away from your room and… well… to be honest, I'm not sure why I followed you here."

Emma smiled. The one thing she loved most about Jesse was that he was so brutally honest with his feelings that she didn't have to read him anymore to know his thoughts. He was such an open book, even to non-psionics. Sighing she smiled back and shrugged.

"You caught me red-handed, but I expect you to keep this secret down to your grave."

Jesse grinned a second time and raised his right hand in mock pledge. "Down to my grave."


	44. Sunset

**Title: Close Encounter**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Jesse Kilmartin, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: Sunset**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 412**

**Summary: She wondered for a split second why she wasn't uncomfortable with the thought that their faces were only a few inches apart.**

**A/N: Not mine, don't sue. Oh, and I've just finished watching 12 episodes of Smallville in 2 days so if this scene seems familiar blame it on those blasted DVDs that my sister's best friend brought to our house. Anyway, reviews please.**

He offered his help in arranging the schedules for the underground regular interviews, and she was more than grateful when they finally finished everything a few minutes before midnight.

"You're my saviour," she beamed brightly, stretching out her sore arms and yawning.

He flashed his resident, charming smile and shrugged. "Anything for a beautiful lady."

She laughed. "Don't use one of your pick-up lines on me, Mr. Kilmartin. It's not going to work."

He grinned. "I was merely stating a fact."

"Well, whatever," she grinned back. "But really, thank you."

He gazed into her beautiful blue eyes and answered. "It's nothing."

"You have always been so supportive," she replied, wondering for a split second why she wasn't uncomfortable with the thought that their faces were only a few inches apart.

"I have."

"And you always listen." Another inch closer.

"I do."

"You're always there." Another inch.

"Yeah."

She found herself closing her eyes, all rational thought flying from her mind. All she wanted was to feel Jesse's lips on hers. And she didn't have to read him to know that he felt the same.

"Hey Em do you…"

The couple broke apart and looked up guiltily at the elemental standing in the doorway, his face painted with an unreadable expression.

"What was it, Bren?"

Brennan crossed his arms on his chest in response. "Emma, do you know what time it is?"

Emma blushed and stood up. "No, but I'm guessing it's late."

"Smart girl. Come on, I'll walk you to your room."

Nodding she turned to Jesse and smiled uneasily. "I'll see you in the morning. Good night."

Brennan waited until Emma got to him before exiting. It was obvious that he wasn't pleased with what he saw, either being the overprotective big brother or the jealous pseudo boy friend, no one would really know.

"Hey Em?"

The psionic turned and waited.

"Have you seen the sunset from outside the Sanctuary?"

She nodded innocently. "Yeah, like a thousand times already." When she saw the changed expression on the molecular's face, she knew she had to back-pedal. "But that's what great about them, each one is unique."

A smile. "You want to watch it with me tomorrow?"

"I'd love to. Good night Jess."

And before he could reply, a hand appeared and pulled her away. He shook his head as he heard Emma quietly whining and Brennan silently snickering. Still, a small smile played on his lips as he anticipated the next day.


	45. Sixth Sense

**Title: Ghost**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble**

**Prompt: Sixth Sense**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 717**

**Summary: She didn't have sixth sense, so technically, she can't see dead people.**

**A/N: It didn't come out the way I wanted. But anyways, since I'm too lazy to redo everything, you all just have to suffer reading this one.**

She didn't have sixth sense, so technically, she can't see dead people. Well, there was one instance with the fireman who died in arson, but other than that, she couldn't remember any other incident where she had communicated with spirits and ghosts.

You'd think being able to read people's thoughts and feelings wasn't enough. She didn't need another gift.

That's why it freaked her out of her wits when she saw a white, floating lady in her room late one night. She had just come from an interesting date that ended nowhere, and the last thing she wanted was to deal with a supernatural being inside Sanctuary.

The weird thing about the floating chunk of sheet was that it was so still, so unlike the many white ladies she had seen in movies and television when she was a kid.

"What do you want?"

The ghost remained silent, her eyes forever staring into Emma's.

"Adam!" she screamed, running out of her room and into the lab, expecting the scientist to be there. She found him bent on some experiment, his concentration broken when she came rushing in the room.

"What's wrong? You look so pale."

"There is something in my room!"

"What is it?" he asked, following Emma back to her quarters.

"A ghost!"

The scientist stopped dead on his tracks. "What? Emma, there's no such thing as ghosts."

"See for your self!" she squeaked, opening the door wide and letting the scientist in.

"What the…"

The ghost remained floating, staring coldly at him. "This is impossible."

"You think!"

"Emma, I need you to calm down. Where are the others?"

A series of footsteps were heard, and three bobbing heads appeared from the doorway. "What is it?" asked the feral. "We heard Emma scream."

The psionic pointed, and the three all turned and gasped. "What's that?" Jesse asked.

"Is that a…" Brennan started, inching forward and standing in front of Emma.

Emma hid behind him, peaking slightly at the floating material in the corner of her room. "A ghost."

"Is that my Halloween costume?"

All heads turn, and Shalimar suddenly wished she hadn't spoken a word.

"What!"

"I knew I lost it," she answered, taking a step back. "I remembered trying it out and then getting an emergency call. I forgot where I left it."

"What were you doing trying your costume in MY room?"

"I…"

An utterly deadly stare made the feral grow cold, and the tension wouldn't have died down if Brennan didn't burst out laughing.

"You find something funny?"

"I'm sorry," he continued laughing, "It's just so silly. I can't help it."

The four slowly caught the mood and everyone laughed like crazy. When the last peals of laughter faded, Emma wiped the tears from her eyes and grabbed the costume. "Never do this again," she said, handing the white material to the feral.

"Sorry," Shalimar grinned sheepishly. "Well, I'm off to bed now."

"Me too," Jesse yawned, leaving with the feral.

"I'm going back to the lab," followed the scientist, rubbing his neck.

Brennan smiled at the psionic. "You're gonna be okay? Or do you want me to stay with you for the night?"

Emma's eyebrows rose. "Why do I get the feeling that Shalimar didn't misplace her costume?"

Brennan grinned. "Ah, you can read me like a book."

"That was stupid, Bren. If you wanted to stay with me for the night so badly you should have just asked, not spook me out and then offer to watch over me to make sure no real ghost ever comes."

"That didn't work, did it?"

She shook her head.

"Can I stay anyway?"

She shrugged. "I could kick you out for that joke, but I'm too much spooked out to sleep alone. So I guess you can stay."

"See? It worked."

"Fat chance," she answered, rolling her eyes and closing the door behind them.

Five hours later and two new mutants sleeping, a shadow with glowing eyes passed by the bed and out of the room.

"Mmmm, Bren, did you turn the heater off? It's freezing."

"No…," the elemental answered groggily, pulling the psionic closer. "Here, this will keep you warm."

"Mmmm," she murmured, succumbing to deep slumber once again, locked in Brennan's arms.

The shadow floated around Sanctuary, then disappeared near the lab.


	46. And

**Title: Only One**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: And**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 100**

**Summary: After all that's been said and done, she realizes that he's still the only one.**

**A/N: I don't own them. Awwww. Anyways, let me take this opportunity to thank everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, who continually read and review my stories. They mean a lot to me. **

After all that's been said and done, she realizes that he's still the only one.

She tries to forget her little crush by diverting her attention to Jesse, and still she feels terrible deep down whenever she sees him flash a sexy smile at Shalimar.

Finally she decides to fake her own death so that she could move on, but even then his face still haunts her every dream.

And when one day she finds herself locked in his strong arms after her miraculous _resurrection_, she wonders if all the pain had been worth it.

And she realizes it does.


	47. He

**Title: Of Monthsaries and Kisses**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: He**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 504**

**Summary: It was their tenth monthsary as best friends. So why is he feeling that way?**

**A/N: Uh-huh. Not mine, no suing. And I've been daydreaming about this scene for a week now I just had to type it. But no, it's not Emma and Brennan that I see in my daydream. Haha. Go ahead and think.**

She inhaled the fresh air and opened her arms wide, imitating the scene from the old movie _Titanic_ that her mother fancied when she was still a teenager. A warm, gentle hand was suddenly around her waist, and she turned and grinned as Brennan shared the beautiful view in front of them.

They were out for a picnic near a river, and although it was a little cheesy spreading your arms like that when you're not aboard a luxury ship, she didn't mind because no one else was there but her best friend.

"This is the best monthsary I've ever had!" she exclaimed brightly, talking about their tenth monthsary as best friends. "Next month we should go hiking!"

Brennan laughed. "No way are you going to drag me into the woods, sweetie."

She faked a pout. "We'll see about that."

There was something about her smile that made him unable to take his eyes off her, and before he could stop himself he heard his voice whispering her name softly.

"Em?"

"Hm?" she asked, not really looking at him. She was enjoying the view too much.

"This is going to sound really weird… and I won't do it if you don't want me to, but… can I kiss you?"

Eyes wide she turned to him. "What?"

He was fidgeting nervously. Whatever possessed him into asking such a stupid question he'll never know. But he quickly collected his cool and looked straight into her blue eyes. "Can I kiss you?"

She burst out laughing, and for a split second he considered running away and retreating to the mountains to hide in humiliation for eternity. So much for not being a nature buff.

I'm… I'm sorry," he muttered, quickly averting her gaze.

She laughed more heartily and he started to get really annoyed. Wiping the tears from her eyes she tried to contain the laughter that was still bubbling up inside of her.

"No… I'm sorry…_laugh_... I didn't mean to, _laugh_, to embarrass you or something. _Laugh laugh_. But you should have seen yourself, you, _laugh_, you looked so cute, fidgeting like that."

He smiled sheepishly in response.

"Oh my, I ruined the moment, didn't I?" Emma then said, biting her lips. "I'm sorry."

"Neh, that's all right."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. "Anything I can do to make it up to you?"

He shook his head. "You don't have to…"

"I can let you kiss me if you want."

He paused in mid-sentence, seeing the hint of eccentricity in her eyes. "You… will?"

A nod and a smile. It was the prettiest smile he had seen her make, and he wondered for a second what he did to deserve such an angel.

He looked into her eyes a long time, not really knowing what to do now that he got permission. He saw her eyebrows cross and he suddenly feared she'd take back what she said.

"Oh just kiss me you big dork."

Another smile.

And so kiss her he did.


	48. She

**Title: Candlelit Dinner**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: She**

**Rating: Pg**

**Word Count: 678**

**Summary: It was his way of saying sorry. **

**A/N: Not mine, don't sue.**

He wanted to make it up to her for being such a jerk the last time they spent the night out in a club. It had been his idea, taking her to that place to take her mind off the bad date she had the other weekend. When they reached the place he hung around her for like two minutes before a redhead took his attention away. She was left alone the whole night, politely declining every offer of a dance from almost all the guys in the place. She never spoke a word as he drove home, and as an added incentive she stomped out of the car and all the way to her room the minute they got in the garage.

Two days later she found a note on the cupboard, telling her to go to the pool area when everyone else was asleep. She knew his handwriting more than he does, and for a split second she was tempted to make him wait for nothing as payback for what he did to her in the club two nights before. But being the sweet, compassionate friend that she had always been, she couldn't bear to think that he'd spend the whole night miserable by the poolside, and so at exactly twelve midnight she left her room and headed for her favourite place in Sanctuary.

Candles were lit and two glasses were chilled. She had to admit it got her attention. Still, no sign of a soul was there, and she was starting to think that she was mistaken for having thought of him as capable of asking forgiveness.

To answer her unspoken question a gentle arm was wrapped around her waist, and when she turned she found herself staring into a pair of hopeful, brown eyes.

"Forgive me?"

She had to smile. It was moments like this that she loved her best friend more; his smooth ways of getting in touch with her soul even when she didn't want him there.

"Do I have a choice?"

A sheepish smile. "You always have a choice, Em."

She shrugged. "What you did the night before was pretty mean, Bren. I'm not sure I can forgive you that easily."

And he disentangled himself from her and raised a finger in between them. "That's why I asked you to come."

Hurrying towards the little table he had set up he opened the lid of a platter of macaroni and cheese he himself had cooked earlier. Emma laughed as she made her way to the food. "And I thought you'd at least cook something more romantic, you know, with all these candles."

He grinned. "I did try cooking steak, but Shal found out and decided to help herself." When she raised her eyebrow he grinned. "Don't worry, she had an upset stomach the whole afternoon."

Laughing she allowed the elemental to sit her on the pillows he brought, and waited as he poured red wine in her glass. He snapped his fingers and her favourite song suddenly started playing, and she stared at him as if asking how he did it.

"I had Jesse's help," he answered, a glint of mischievousness in his eyes. "Actually, I blackmailed him into helping, in exchange for not telling Adam who broke his new set of vials in the lab this morning."

"You're evil!" More laughter.

"I know."

The dinner was great, they conversed about everything and anything under the sun. After a while he stood up and offered his hand, and Emma took it as a sign that he would very much like to dance with her. She obliged.

"So, forgive me yet?" he asked as he pulled her close and swayed their bodies to the rhythm of the music.

She tilted her head. "If this is the way you'd make up every time you do something stupid, I don't mind you leaving me in the club every once in a while."

And when he laughed, she knew deep inside of her that she had forgiven him.

That's what best friends are for, right?


	49. If

**Title: One Big Pretense**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Shalimar Fox, Brennan Mulwray, Emma DeLauro**

**Prompt: If**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 212**

**Summary: It kills her inside, knowing that she cannot fully take Emma's place in his heart.**

**A/N: Not mine, no suing.**

It's a never-ending battle between the small part of her that says they can have the happy ending she dreams of every night, and the bigger part that screams infidelity on his part.

She knows it's not his fault.

She was the one who forced herself on him, thinking that she could steal him away from her.

But she only hears one name from his lips every time he dreams.

_Emma._

It kills her inside, knowing that she cannot fully take Emma's place in his heart.

And what aggravates her more is the fact that the psionic doesn't have a clue that Brennan feels that way for her. She was supposed to be powerful. How can she not sense that their resident elemental loves her more than he loves his supposed-to-be girl friend?

It was stupid.

If only she knew how Brennan whispers her name every night, how he looks at her from afar when he thinks no one else is watching, how he listens to her every word as if what she's saying is the most important thing in the whole, wide world.

But she doesn't.

Or if she does, she doesn't show any indication that she knows.

Emma isn't one to choose romance over loyalty.

That's what makes them different.


	50. How

**Title: Famous Last Words**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray, Shalimar Fox**

**Prompt: How?**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 110**

**Summary: She sealed their fate with those words.**

**A/N: Blame Jars of Clay. I am in love with this song.**

How will she ever know that she was in love when she pushed him away even before he got the chance to tell her how he felt about her?

"I'm not ready yet," she whispered, eyes shining, even before he could utter a single word.

He understood and walked away.

Famous last words from a dearly frightened telempath.

She sealed their fate with those words.

He never tried again.

And somehow she knew he wouldn't, because she never waited. Nor was she surprised when Shalimar announced their engagement.

He glanced at her sadly as the feral was beaming happily, and she nodded in understanding.

The last word had been said.


	51. Who

**Title: Mystery Unsolved**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro**

**Prompt: Who?**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 128**

**Summary: All her secrets went down with her to the grave.**

**A/N: As much as I would have wanted to, she's not mine, so don't sue.**

Who would have guessed that Emma would die in that explosion in Naxcom? Her death brought rise to so many unanswered questions: Did Adam let her fall on purpose? What did she know about the scientist, other than the fact that he was hiding something from the team? What was the extent of her powers? Did she die as a telempath, or has she developed other psionic powers which she had kept hidden from the team? Just who was Emma DeLauro? Was she merely a random pick for the psionic position in Mutant X, or was there a secret, powerful hand that helped her get into the group?

So many questions. Nobody will ever get the needed answers. All her secrets went down with her to the grave.


	52. What

**Title: Of Blondes, Brunettes and Redheads**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Shalimar Fox**

**Prompt: What?**

**Rating: G**

**Word Count: 245**

**Summary: The girls decide to have a little girl talk. Insanity ensues.**

**A/N: Not mine, don't sue. I personally like Lauren's black hair more than the red or yellow. But that's just me.**

"What do you think?"

She dropped the magazine she was reading and gasped. "Whatever were you thinking!"

"What?"

"Emma, honey, I know I said try something new, but I don't remember saying anything about changing your hair color."

"Don't you like it?" the telempath asked flatly, flipping her once-black hair for emphasis.

"The boys will have a wonderful time ruining your afternoon."

She sighed and sat on the vacant seat. "Shalimar, I just can't seem to attract anyone decent with my old hair. This new look may be the answer to my non-existent love life."

The feral placed a kind hand on her knee and smiled. "Emma, you're beautiful with or without red hair. It's not that you don't attract guys; you just get turned off after you've read what's in their heads. Why don't you try not reading them?"

The psionic sighed louder. "Easy for you to say, you're not the one with inherent telempathic abilities."

"Come on," she grinned, standing up, "Let's get your hair back to its original color, and then let's go bar-hopping in search for the perfect guy."

She shook her head in response. "I think I'll keep it this way for a while. Who knows? Maybe redheads have more luck than brunettes."

"I think blondes do."

"You know what? That's my natural born hair color. Maybe I should just change my hair back to…"

She pulled her friend's hand and dragged her out of the salon. "Red will do."


	53. When

**Title: Pieces of Me**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: When?**

**Rating: G**

**Word Count: 168**

**Summary: It still amazes her that he's always the first one to find out when something's wrong.**

**A/N: I heart them. I heart them. I heart them. No, not the show, the pairing.**

It still amazes her that he's always the first one to find out when something's wrong. He'd knock on her door, peak inside and offer a warm smile, wait for her signal to enter the room. He'd sit on her bed and not say anything, just sit there and watch her finish whatever it is that she's doing, and when she finally burns out from waiting for him to make the first move, she'd begin to tell him why she's in such a sulky mood. She never lets the others know when she's having problems because of the too many sensations she's receiving, but he'd always, always guess when she's having one and come visit her even when she doesn't expects him to.

"When will you stop?" she asks him one day as they sit side by side on her bed, leafing through a worn-out edition of The Prince.

"When you don't need me anymore."

"But I'll always need you."

"Then I'll never stop being there for you."


	54. Where

**Title: Nobody's Home**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, the Creator**

**Prompt: Where?**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 291**

**Summary: All she ever wanted was to go back home. He's not making it easy for her. **

**A/N: Not mine, don't sue.**

"Just where do you think you're going?"

"I'm going home."

"Nobody's home Emma."

"That's not true."

"That's the truth. You know that as well as I do."

"You're lying."

"I've never lied to you Emma."

"Yes you have. You promised me this would be a routine mission, just like the countless missions I've done before. You said I only have to infiltrate the group long enough for me to get the necessary data we need for our next project. I've been living with them for a year now, and you still haven't given me the permission to go back. Were you even planning on taking me back, or is this your very convenient way of getting rid of me permanently?"

"You know that's not true Emma. You have a very important mission, and no one else is up for the job."

"Why don't you just go there yourself and pretend to be him? You look like Adam anyway."

"Emma…"

"You promised that once I finish this mission I can go back to my family. You haven't kept your side of the bargain."

"I will, as long as you keep yours. Once this mission is finished, I'll release your parents and sister and you can go home."

"Liar."

"Emma, Emma, do we have to go through this all over again? Or do you want me to have a little chat with your sister this time?"

"Stay away from her."

"Then do as I tell you."

"…"

"Emma?"

"Like I have a choice."

"That's my girl."

"If you lay as much as a hand on my sister or on my parents, I will not stop until I destroy not only you, but everything you've worked hard for."

"Then we've got ourselves a deal."


	55. Why

**Title: Angel's Eyes**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: Why?**

**Rating: G**

**Word Count: 317**

**Summary: He knew she deserved an answer, but all he could think of at that moment was how beautiful her blue eyes sparkled against the dark background of the starless night.**

**A/N: Not mine, first person who sues gets a beating.**

"Why?"

He knew she deserved an answer, but all he could think of at that moment was how beautiful her blue eyes sparkled against the dark background of the starless night.

"Brennan, I need to know why."

It was one of those moments that he ran out of words; her mesmerizing blue orbs always, always had a way of hypnotizing him when he least expects it.

"If you can't answer my question then I'm afraid I can't help you."

Before he could stop himself his lips spread out in a warm smile as he found himself completely lost in her eyes.

"Brennan! Are you even listening to me?"

He snapped back to reality when her tone changed. Perhaps he had spaced out longer than he intended to.

"You know what, forget it, I'm leaving."

He stopped her before she could go, and she irritably placed her hands on her hips as she waited for the much awaited answer.

"Well?"

He smiled sheepishly, pausing for just a fraction of a second to capture that beautiful little pout in his memory.

"I lost the Audi's keys."

"So you want me to go back in that club and get Jesse's spare? He's probably tongue-locked with that pretty brunette by now. How could you be so careless? I knew I should have taken them from you earlier!"

He grinned; she was so adorable when she flares up like that.

"That's why you should get it. Jesse wouldn't mind being disturbed by another lovely brunette, rather than his annoying basketball rival."

She rolled her eyes and raised her hands in defeat. "You are so going to owe me for this," she growled as she stomped away.

"Thanks Em," he called out, "You're an angel." And when she disappeared into the club he rested his back against the Audi and relived the memory of her pretty blue eyes in his head once again.


	56. Polarity

**Title: Half**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Prompt: Polarity**

**Word Count: 100**

**Summary: Half Emma is as heavy as whole Emma.**

**A/N: Nope, not mine. Just a filler chapter before I go on. I got lazy, sorry. Thanks for the reviews!**

Evil Emma wakes up inside Genomex's lab and hits poor personnel with metal tray.

Nice Emma squeaks when Shalimar sets up scanner in Sanctuary's lab.

Evil Emma proposes to bring Mutant X down by teaming up with Eckhart.

Nice Emma puts protective gloves and helmet on Jesse's head.

Evil Emma kicks Adam's a$$ by using psionic powers.

Nice Emma locks Brennan and Adam in lab by sheer cuteness.

Evil Emma kicks Eckhart's a$$ without using psionic powers.

Nice Emma runs to her room at Adam's harsh command.

Whole Emma is less eccentric than half Emma, but weighs just as much.


	57. School

**Title: Of Walt Whitman and Teenage Hormones**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: School**

**Word Count: 120**

**Rating: PG**

**A/N: Hah. I'm back. Everyone faint. Sorry it took so long. Real life sucks. It doesn't help that MX is such a dead show. Sigh. Don't own them, because if I do, they'd still be airing episodes until now. Grr.**

"Did you ever like school?" he asked her as they flipped through the pages of a worn-out edition of NY Times.

"Not really," she answered, yawning a bit. "I mean, I like the academic part, but when you're a teenage psionic unable to control your abilities that well, you usually get massive headaches just from sensing your classmates overactive hormones."

He laughed and pulled her closer. "Must have been a real bummer."

"You think?" she laughed along with him, allowing him to play with her hair. "How about you?"

A grin. "You kidding? I stopped school at ten."

She smiled in response. "And Walt Whitman?"

A wink. "It's a facade to attract pretty girls… like you."

A hearty laugh. "Right."


	58. Home

**Title: Home Sweet Home a.k.a. A Normal Day in Sanctuary**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray, Jesse Kilmartin**

**Prompt: Home**

**Word Count: 100**

**Rating: G**

**Summary: Never underestimate the powers of an annoyed psionic.**

**A/N: Yet another chapter. Don't own them, don't sue. Enjoy and review.**

Shalimar leaves Sanctuary to look for Richard.

Emma gets bored and decides to train in the dojo by herself. Brennan and Jesse are already there.

Emma wants to spar with them. They merely laugh at her.

Emma insists. They poke fun at her fighting spirit.

Emma tries to understand why they would refuse. They reason out that she's too inexperienced to practice with them.

Emma gets annoyed. They try to make light of the situation by leaving her on the dojo's steps.

Emma messes with their minds. They realize it's not wise to annoy a psionic, especially an inexperienced one.


	59. Work

Title: All in a Day's Work

Fandom: Mutant X

Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble

Prompt: Work

Characters: 321

Rating: PG for dumbness

A/N: My first attempt at 'streams of consciousness' approach. I have a feeling I won't be doing this again… not for a long while. And although I did not mention the word 'work' in the story, it's implied, not serious work, but crazy work (besides, it's in the title ). Not mine. Don't sue.

She finds it amusing to live with four very different people inside a huge chunk of hollow rock in the middle of nowhere, enjoys every waking day preparing pancakes for them, sipping her red iced tea as she watches Jesse and Brennan fight over the last piece like five-year-old children fighting over the last piece of chocolate inside a candy store, as Adam drinks his coffee quietly at a corner and Shalimar pretends not to pour extra syrup on her plate, not wanting to ruin her figure and at the same time unable to resist the temptation to eat something sweet for a change, and smiling she'd eat her breakfast silently when a devious idea enters her mind and suddenly Jesse finds Brennan too irresistible and he almost lunges at him and pins him down the cold floor if not for Brennan's quick instinct, and within seconds the elemental is up and running with the molecular hot on his trail, begging him for a kiss, and she hears Brennan scream, "Emma I'll get you for this you crazy psycho!" and she laughs and almost chokes on her food, all the while aware of how Shalimar is looking at her like she's some sort of weirdo and Adam… well… Adam continues sipping his coffee quietly in his little corner, and she bites her lower lip to keep herself from laughing, but out come the fits of giggles anyway, and she sees the feral raise an eyebrow, and it annoys her so she decides to leave, rewarding the blonde with a mental knock on the head, and she sees Adam out in the corner of her eye, still sipping his coffee quietly, and to cap of the morning she makes him feel drowsy, negating the effect of the caffeine in his system, and she laughs as she heads for the dojo to practice her moves that none of them knows she can do.


	60. Life

**Title: This is your Life**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble**

**Prompt: Life**

**Word Count: 500**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Summary: This is your life. Are you who you want to be?**

**A/N: One of my favorite Switchfoot songs. I just had to use it. I just had to. Same disclaimer: not mine, first one to sue gets a harsh beating and is then sent to the netherworlds to rot. Muahahahah.**

_Yesterday is a wrinkle on the forehead_

She stared at herself in front of the mirror, reminiscing briefly the events that had transpired earlier that day. Adam had sent them to a routine mission, or so he said, and made them retrieve yet another artifact without explaining its significance. She had been the one to hold onto the artifact on the way back to the Helix, as countless undead creatures chased them out of what supposed to be an uninhibited cave.

_Yesterday is a promise that you've broken_

As soon as they got back to Sanctuary she demanded an explanation from the scientist, as the artifact had glowed bright blue all the while she held it in her hands. Adam mentioned something briefly about the stone's ability to alter the human psyche, and then nodded and promised to enlighten them more as soon as he finished setting up the necessary equipments needed to decipher the hidden message inside the blue stone. But as soon as he had the work done he disappeared, yet once again, to his imaginary room.

_Don't close your eyes_

She clenched and unclenched her fists as she stared at her round blue orbs in front of the mirror. She was sick and tired of having to constantly obey the scientist's every word without getting the explanations she needed. The artifact had burned her insides and made her thirst for something she couldn't understand.

_This is your life_

The thing she hated the most was that it seemed as if she was the only one affected enough to bother and ask Adam what that thing was. Jesse was only to happy to follow Adam's orders, the little kid in dire need of approval thus willing to go to the extent of offering himself as a personal slave. Shalimar was forever loyal and would never _ever _question the authority of the scientist, and as much as she loved the feral it pissed her out of her wits for that blonde stupidity of hers. And Brennan just didn't care enough to bother, or if he did, he surely didn't back her up when she started bombarding Adam with questions. He merely stood there in a far corner, his eyes fixed at something far away.

_Are you who you want to be?_

She had been contemplating on her standing in the group for a while now. As much as she loved each one of them, she was beginning to realize they were a bunch of brainless dimwits who blindly follow every command of a domineering scientist.

When the world is young 

She no longer wanted any part of it.

_And you've got everything to lose_

Smiling coldly at her reflection she began to devise a plan to mess with them and show who the real boss was. None of them knew the extent of her powers, but she's finally decided to show them what she was really capable of.

But first, she needed to get that bright blue stone again.


	61. Choices

**Title: Fragile Threads**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro**

**Prompt: Choices**

**Word Count: 1016**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Summary: He was my everything. But I had to let him go.**

**A/N: Reposting an old fic for this prompt. One of my favorites. Hope you like it.**

He was my everything.

But I had to let him go.

Not because I wanted to, but because it was the right thing to do.

And it hurt.

Hurt like hell.

It isn't supposed to be like this.

We were supposed to be happy. We were destined to be happy. Together.

I felt it the first time we bumped into each other in that club. We locked eyes, and as I gaze into those beautiful orbs I stumbled into the depths of his soul. There and there I knew we were meant to be together, that he was the one designed to be with me for all time.

It was no coincidence that he found me during the hour of my greatest need. It was no accident that I was able to project to him emotions that I normally couldn't make whenever I'm in a state of panic. It was no mere chance that when I returned in that club the next night, he recognized me instantly and shared his gift with me. Then and there we both knew that we were special – special not only because we possess gifts that ordinary people do not have, but special because we were able to look into each other's souls with just one glance.

A mere mortal shouldn't meddle with Fate. No. Fate should be allowed to weave her threads, join two persons who are meant to stay together until the end of time. We mortals should not mess up the pattern that Fate designed for us. We should simply allow her to run her course, and follow her as she guides us to the person whom we belong to even before we were even born.

But some people are courageous enough to defy Fate. No, _courage_ is not the term. Courage is supposed to be a virtue. No, not courage. _Cunning. _Yes, that's it. Cunning people who would defy everything, because they thought it would be a pretty little adventure they could engage in.

She was my best friend. She was dearer to me than a sister. I confided with her almost everything, shared my most innermost fears, allowed her to see my inner demons that had haunted me for as long as I could remember.

And I loved her.

And I'm sure she loved me. And would try to do everything to keep me from getting hurt.

But she still hurt me. And she didn't even know that she did.

It seemed like an innocent attraction – a bat of an eyelash, a gentle caress of a hand, a meaningful smile. I saw it all – the way she looked at him and tilted her head whenever he says something. The way she smiled every time he enters the room or cracks a joke. The glint in her eyes whenever he smiles at her.

And then I knew that she wanted him.

I saw Fate protesting, trying to pull back her threads and set the pattern back to its original design. But my friend was stronger than Fate herself, and would not easily give up something she set her eyes on. And I slowly felt him slip away.

And then he came – his best friend. Oh yes, we've been friends ever since I joined the team. He had been there for me, understanding and loving me despite my weaknesses and secrets. He understood how I felt, for he in turn had lost the one person he truly cared for.

Her.

He loved her with his life, and it pained him to see her slowly slip away, the same way it hurt me to watch my soul mate pull away from me.

From the sidelines we watched how our beloved friends fell for each other, slowly allowing us to fade in the background, oblivious to the fact that we are dying inside, slowly breaking, crumbling, crying.

And then I slowly felt him falling for me. Having lost someone so dear to him, it was just understandable that he would look for someone else to shower his unrequited love on. And who else was there? I had been with him when she wasn't, and he was there for me.

And slowly, I fell for him as well. And finally, I felt that I could let the other one go.

But it still hurt to the very end. Finally accepting that he forgot about our connection, that he no longer considered our bond as important as the attraction between him and her.

It almost killed me.

But I had to let him go. Even if it hurt. Because it was the right thing to do. It was for the best.

Although for the past few weeks I could feel that he was trying to get back, crawling his way back into my heart, to the special place I have reserved only for him. I saw it in the way he looked at me whenever I talk to his best friend, the way he smiled when I direct my attention to him, like I used to. It was as if he finally gotten over his little infatuation for my best friend, and was trying to return to the person he was destined to be.

But it was my turn to defy Fate.

I already have Jesse. And I could never hurt him. Not after everything he had done for me. Not after sacrificing everything just to be with me – even Shalimar. And although Jesse could never fully occupy the place I have set for him in my heart, I could never let him go. I've already risked too much, altered the design Fate made, and I could never go back.

And I felt Fate cried a tear, the same time I saw one roll down from his cheek the time I told him that I cannot take him back.

And deep inside, I cried as well.

And because people no longer allow Fate to freely run her course, I, Emma Delauro, lost him.

The one guy I've truly loved. The one I would give up everything for.

My soul mate.

Brennan Mulwray.


	62. Independence

**Title: One of those Days**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Jesse Kilmartin**

**Prompt: Independence**

**Word Count: 252**

**Rating: PG for stupidity. Kids should not ever try to read this. **

**Summary: _What summary?!_**

**A/N: An attempt to be boring. Weeh I succeeded. Come to think of it, I don't remember much of Independence Day myself. But no way am I leaving _Chronicles _to re-watch it.**

"You ever watched Independence Day?" Jesse asked her one day, sitting beside her as she was trying to finish a very old copy of _Chronicles of a Death Foretold._

She shook her head in response, a silent warning that she didn't want to be disturbed that very moment.

"I could barely remember the flow of the film," continued the molecular, oblivious that he was invading her private time. "All I remember are clips and blurry shots from everywhere, and a helicopter bursting into flames."

She nodded absentmindedly, eyes still on the same page of the book. She was starting to get annoyed though, because she really _really _wanted to finish that book before suppertime.

"Do you want to watch it later?" Jesse chirped. "I got a pirated DVD copy and I thought you might want to watch it with me."

_Jesse and pirated DVDs? _she thought dryly. _Never saw that one coming. _She uttered a small "uhmm" in hope that the molecular would leave her alone.

"Great!" the blonde cutie responded, then went on to narrate half of the film, much to her dismay.

Finally at her wits' end she turned sharply at him and projected an image of aliens swarming all around the room. The molecular blinked once, and then scampered off, screaming that aliens were real and not just in the movies. She barely heard Brennan's irritated snicker in the next room.

Satisfied, she went back to reading her book, all-too-aware that Independence Day suddenly sounded so interesting to watch.


	63. Christmas

**Title: Falling**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray, Shalimar Fox**

**Prompt: Christmas**

**Rating: PG**

**Word Count: 2034**

**Summary: What is Brennan's idea of the perfect Christmas gift?**

**A/N: Another old fic. Another favorite. All right! So I've been lazy… er… busy. At least I'm posting something!**

Emma literally dragged her self out of the Double Helix after a tiring day in the underground. Adam had specifically instructed her and Jesse to orient the new mutants about an upcoming program their mentor had specially designed for them. It had something to do with a new way of altering their DNA to ensure stability for another ten years or so. Emma wasn't really sure how the program works; she was only half-listening when Adam informed her and the rest of the team of his new project.

The psionic knew she should have listened; it would have saved her the trouble of inventing an explanation for the curious and doubtful new mutants they had to deal with during the orientation. After a while she just allowed Jesse to do all the talking, knowing that the molecular could answer the questions better than she could.

Emma sighed as she walked towards her room. All she wanted to do was crawl in her bed and sleep for a good ten hours or so. Had she not been dead tired, she would have accepted Jesse's offer for a late-night movie in the recroom. But she feared that she might fall asleep in the middle of the film and leave the molecular to finish the movie by himself.

As she was about to turn to a corner, Emma suddenly heard voices coming from the dojo. Curiosity got the best of her, and she wearily walked towards the practice area, convincing her self that she would only take one small peak and then head back to her room. She stopped in midstep when she saw Shalimar on top of Brennan, a mischievous smile across her face.

"What's the matter, Sparky? I think you mentioned something earlier about 'kicking my ass.' So whose ass got kicked this time around?"

The feral's eyes were dancing as she let out a coy, little giggle. Brennan smiled appreciatively at the seductive woman on top of him, not minding their awkward position.

"I was just warming up, you know. Now if you wouldn't mind getting off me, I'll show you how to kick some real butt."

The elemental received a playful slap on the arm as Shalimar got off him and put her arms on her hips. She opened her mouth to say something when she caught sight of Emma, who was slowly making her way back to her room.

"Hey Em," the feral greeted good-naturally. "How did the orientation go?"

Emma slowly turned and forced a weak smile. She silently cursed Shalimar's keen eyesight, and her own inability to react quickly enough when she saw the feral getting off Brennan.

"Uh, it was fine," she answered, keeping her eyes fixed on the feral. "Jesse has potential. He should be the next president."

Shalimar giggled wholeheartedly and started down the dojo's stairs. "That'll be the day," she joked, approaching the psionic and squeezing her hand tightly. "So when do we go shopping?"

"S-shopping?" Emma asked dumbly.

"Yes, you know, the thing people do, especially during the Christmas season? It's only a week before the grand celebration, Em. We need new outfits!"

"Where's your sense of the true meaning of Christmas, Shal?" Brennan joked as he stood up.

"Oh grow up, Sparky," the feral replied, throwing the elemental a goofy smile. "And don't forget my Christmas gift."

"What? The five-pound steak or the black lingerie?"

"Both," Shalimar answered before turning to Emma. She winked playfully at her and started walking towards her own room.

Emma followed Shalimar with her eyes before deciding to head towards her room as well. It was then that she heard Brennan's voice call her from the dojo.

"Hey Em, how about a one-on-one?"

Emma jumped a little in surprise. She nervously looked back at Brennan and faked a smile. "Maybe next time," she answered, "I'm kind of tired already."

Brennan shrugged. "Suit yourself."

The psionic quickly turned and walked away. She felt the need to get away from Brennan as soon as possible. Nobody in the team had noticed it, but Emma was trying to avoid the elemental for a few weeks already. She wasn't really sure how it started. All she knew was that one morning she woke up and suddenly realized she admire Brennan more than she should. It had actually taken her by surprise, but she wasn't able to stop her self from feeling that way.

And that was where the problem began.

Brennan was supposed to be her older brother. Falling in love with him was a big no-no, and she knew it. Besides, it was obvious that he was pinning on Shalimar. She couldn't blame him though. The feral had everything a guy could have wished for in a girl – good looks, perfect body, a killer smile, and not to mention feline grace and agility. What does a simple, uptight girl like her possess to match the qualities of this irresistible woman?

Emma sighed heavily as she accessed the code to open her room's door. She waited for it to open, and then wearily entered her domain. She was about to slide the door shut when she heard Brennan calling her once more.

_Now what does he want this time?_

"Hey Em," the elemental suddenly popped his head in the doorway. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"What?" The psionic wasn't really in the mood to be nice. She was tired, and the guy she was slowly falling for was asking her for a favor. And based from experience, Brennan's requests were usually bizarre enough to throw her off the edge.

"Yeah, well, you heard what Shal said earlier. I need to buy her a gift for Christmas. Thing is, I have no idea what to get her."

"You have no idea?" _You have probably dated over a hundred girls and you still don't know what to give a girl for Christmas? You're such a moron._

"Yeah, so I was wondering, if you could help me look for a gift for her."

Emma stared dumbly at Brennan for one whole minute. _He's got to be kidding._

"Then maybe you can choose the gift you want to have as well."

_That's it. Brennan Mulwray is an official jerk._

"What gift do you want anyway?"

_How about a kiss, you insensitive being, _she chided herself quietly. "Anything," she answered unenthusiastically.

"Ok," Brennan replied, nodding. "So what do you say?"

_Do I have a choice?_

"Uh, Em?"

Emma flashed the elemental an irritated look before rolling her eyes. "Fine. Now can you let me sleep now?" _Note to self: hide from Brennan the whole day tomorrow until he forgets about our little shopping trip._

"Thanks."

Emma didn't wait for Brennan to leave. She slid the door irritably, crushing Brennan's fingers in the process. She suppressed a giggle when she heard the elemental yelp in pain as the cold metal touched his index and middle fingers.

"Geez Em!" she heard him yell outside.

"Sorry!" she yelled back, rolling her eyes and walking towards her bed. She was about to sit down when she heard a knock on her door. Rolling her eyes, she grudgingly made her way back towards the doorway and slid the door open.

"Ok, I'm sorry, all right?" she blurted out, rolling her eyes at the elemental standing in front of her, who was still rubbing his sore fingers. "It's not a big deal, is it? I mean, you can just get an ice pack in the fridge and…"

Emma was suddenly silenced as Brennan swooped down and captured her lips with his. She was completely caught off-guard, making her unable to react to the sweet kiss the elemental gave her.

After five seconds or so, the psionic pushed Brennan away. The elemental looked surprised at Emma's gesture, and offered her a small, reassuring smile.

"What the hell was that for?!" Emma demanded.

"Merry Christmas, Em," Brennan answered softly.

"What?!"

"You said you wanted a kiss, right?"

Emma gasped. _Did I say that one out loud?_

Brennan smiled and placed his hands on Emma's shoulders. "You didn't have to say it Em. You were broadcasting it very clearly." He raised his finger and brought it near Emma's face. "Now don't tell me you forgot the connection we have. I can easily read you, remember?"

Emma wanted the ground to open up and swallow her there and then. She tried wriggling away from Brennan but the elemental's grasp was strong.

"Go away Bren."

"What's wrong? Didn't you like it?" Brennan asked playfully.

"No stupid," Emma replied, lowering her eyes to the floor.

"Oh," the elemental said, dropping his arms to his side. "I thought you did."

"No I didn't, so just go!"

"That's too bad. I thought that would have been the perfect gift I could give you this Christmas. I thought…"

Emma looked up and met Brennan's sad eyes.

"I wished you could have given me that as the perfect gift this Christmas."

"What the hell are you talking about?! Are you rehearsing your lines for Shal on me?!"

"Huh?"

"Isn't this what it's about?"

"Whatever are you talking about?"

"Oh don't try to be sweet now. You know, Shalimar and the whole gift thing…"

Brennan chuckled softly.

"W-what's so funny?"

"Nothing… it's just that… Shalimar? You think I'm in love with Shal, don't you?"

"Aren't you?"

Brennan laughed wholeheartedly. After Emma realized that the peals of laughter wouldn't die out, she frowned and proceeded to slide the door shut.

"Whoa, wait," Brennan suddenly stepped inside the doorway, preventing the door from closing. "I'm sorry, but I thought you knew."

"Knew what?"

"That I was in love with you."

Emma stared hard at the smiling elemental in front of her. _You've got to be kidding._

"I'm sorry Em," Brennan said, taking the psionic's hands in his. "I thought you would have already sensed it by now. You're supposed to be a powerful telempath."

"B-but… I don't try to read you."

"Maybe you should have," the elemental replied lightly, touching Emma's cheek.

"But Shal…"

"Shalimar is a very irresistible woman, Em. Everybody knows that. And I'll be lying if I say that I don't find her attractive. But it ends there, Em. I'm not in love with her."

"Oh."

"So, tomorrow's a date?"

"Huh?"

"Shopping, remember? Since you didn't want the kiss, I'll buy you something else instead."

Emma couldn't say anything. She wondered how Brennan could act so cool in a situation like this. _Must have taken a lot of experience._

"Em?"

"Huh?"

"I'm serious."

"Oh… ok… sure, no problem. Our shopping trip won't be cancelled."

"No. I mean, I'm serious with what I said earlier. I'm really in love with you."

"Uh, sure. Let me think about it."

"Ok." Brennan lightly kissed Emma on the forehead before stepping out of the room. He gave her one final smile before sliding the door close for her.

Emma remained rooted on her spot for about ten seconds. _He just confessed his love for you, and all you could say is 'let me think about it?' You've been dying to hear those words from him, Emma. Would you let go of the chance?_

Emma quickly slid her door open and ran out to catch up with Brennan. She caught up with him as he was about to enter his room.

"Hey Bren."

Brennan quickly turned around and smiled upon seeing the psionic.

"Uh… I just… uh…"

Brennan grinned when he saw how Emma blushed.

"Oh nothing. I'll see you tomorrow." Emma quickly turned and headed back her room. _Chicken, _she scolded her self.

"Emma."

The psionic turned and found her self being swept away by Brennan's intimate kiss. It took her about two seconds to realize what was going on, but instead of pulling away like she did before, she returned the kiss with the same intensity and passion.

After the kiss, the two mutants found themselves gazing in each other's eyes.

"Uh, I should be going to bed now," Emma suddenly said, pulling away and started walking towards her room.

"Emma?"

The psionic turned around and was met by Brennan's adorable smile.

"Merry Christmas."

Emma flashed the elemental a sweet smile in return

"Merry Christmas too."


	64. Diamond

Title: Diamonds Don't Last Forever 

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: Diamond**

**Word Count: 419**

**Rating: G**

**Summary: Diamonds don't last forever, but that doesn't make them less beautiful.**

**A/N: A little B/E fluff for a post-Christmas fun. Enjoy. **

When he showed her the tiny box while kneeling down the floor, he feared rejection so much his arms were shaking at their own accord. Hearing her gasp did not ease the tension in the little room one bit. He had every reason to be confident that she would respond positively to his proposal; heck, they've been dating a little more than a year already and everyone around them had started the teasing a couple of months back. She had it coming; he had told her innumerable times before that there was no way he was letting her go.

But Emma was Emma.

And if there was one thing the elemental knew about his dear girl friend, it's her inability to fully trust other people, even the ones who'd literally give an arm just to save her. He couldn't blame her though; she'd been hurt countless times by too many people she eventually learned how to build a strong defense around her to avoid more pain. How he managed to even make her accept him and believe that he was damn serious with her was still a puzzle to their friends, and sometimes he too wondered what was it that he did that made Emma finally lower down her guard enough to let him in. Partially.

Seeing her shocked expression he debated in his mind whether to push through the proposal or just run away like a scared little kid. But he had started the ritual, and leaving Emma in the midst of it all would only amplify her conviction that guys are good-for-nothing-sons-of-little-bs that she shouldn't trust. So instead of running away, he did what any decent guy would do.

"Emma, will you marry me?"

Silence.

He saw her blink once. Twice. Thrice. And just as he was about to start wondering if she had perhaps slipped into a sudden coma, he saw her open her mouth and utter five words that he didn't expect her to say.

"Diamonds don't last forever, Bren."

And despite the weirdness of her answer he fully understood what she meant, and taking her hand he kissed it in the gentlest way possible.

"That doesn't make them less beautiful," he whispered, smiling kindly at her.

And she nodded, tears brimming in her eyes, allowing the elemental to finally slip the ring in her finger.

And when he wrapped her in his embrace, he knew that he had broken through her wall of defense, if not completely, at least more than he did before.


	65. Spade

**Title: Just a Game of Cards**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble**

**Prompt: Spade**

Word Count: 436 Rating: PG 

**Summary: It all started with a game of cards.**

**A/N: A little J/E fluff up for grabs. Who said I had to stick to B/E for all eternity? Hah.**

It all started with a game of cards.

He was bored out of his wits, as Adam had specifically ordered him to stay in Sanctuary to monitor his teammates' mission in the new district. She found him banging his head against the computer console the minute she got back from her routine check in the underground, and laughing amusedly she asked if he was interested to play a game of poker.

His face lit up for a second before darkening once again, and shyly he confessed that he didn't know how to play the game. She blinked and wrinkled her nose and teased him about his lack of knowledge on things that 'really mattered.' Raising an eyebrow he asked her if she could teach him anyway, and grinning like a little kid she replied that she was more than willing to, only in the condition that he pays for dinner the next time they go out. He was more than happy to oblige.

Thirty minutes later they had played roughly eight times, him being beaten up so badly she had to give him a light peck on the cheek as consolation. His face lit like a bulb at the contact of her lips on his skin.

When the rest of the team came home from a tiring day, they found the two sleeping on the couch, his right arm wrapped around her waist protectively and his left hand holding a piece of card.

"Aren't they adorable together?" Shalimar giggled like a teenage girl. "I hope they get together soon!"

And Adam nodded and turned around just in time to see Brennan make a face before heading off to his room in annoyed silence.

The two merely laughed and Shalimar whispered something like 'overprotective dork' before going to the kitchen in search of something to eat.

Adam watched the two sleeping figures a little longer, and as he was about to leave them Jesse's hand fell to his side and released the sole card he was holding.

Curiosity got the best of the scientist and silently he picked up the card that fell. _Ace of spades? h_e thought, confused. And almost mechanically his mind began coming up with countless theories as to what that card had to do with Jesse and Emma falling asleep together, as he headed off to the lab, card momentarily forgotten in his hand.

He would never guess, not for the life of him, that that card was just a random pick that the two had made when they got bored playing poker and decided to examine the back of the material instead.


	66. Club

**Title: Of Alcohol and Overprotective Best Friends**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Shalimar Fox, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: Club**

**Word Count: 490**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Summary: To say that she has low tolerance for alcohol was such an understatement.**

**A/N: Originally supposed to be an E/S friendship fic, but… ah… things like this _always _happen to me! Arrgh!**

She knew going to the newly opened club would only spell disaster, but then again it had been ages since she last went out, ever since that energy-sucking new mutant absorbed the life out of her a couple of weeks back. Besides, Shalimar was more persistent than usual, probably out of boredom for not being able to go out in more than a week due to a simple case of common cold.

Upon entering the building she immediately built a strong defense around her mind to shield herself away from stray thoughts that will surely give her one heck of a hangover, stronger than any kind of liquor could provide. Glancing to her right she could see that the feral's eyes were dancing in delight, and she only had to laugh when three seconds later her friend disappeared in the middle of the dance floor.

Shaking her head she made her way to the bar and ordered a tall glass of tequila sunrise, noting with disdain that she'd probably regret doing that a few minutes later. But that was better than ordering margarita, because the last time she had that drink Jesse had to literally carry her back in the Audi.

To say that she has low tolerance for alcohol was such an understatement.

Minutes more and the first stranger sat beside her and smoothly asked her for a dance. She politely declined. Five guys after her head was already swooning so much she had to shut her eyes to keep herself from collapsing.

Strong arms wrapped around her waist and she gasped, muscles tensing as her eyes snapped open to glare at the pervert who'd dare envelope her like that.

A pair of worried brown eyes met her blue orbs.

"Bren?" she frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think?" the elemental replied, gently helping her stand up. "I'm taking you home."

And although she wanted nothing but to get back in the safety of her room, she felt violated for being followed around, like he didn't trust her one bit.

"I'm with Shal," she hissed, feeling lightheaded all of a sudden.

"I don't care," he answered, his grip around her waist becoming more protective. "I'm taking you home."

"But…"

"No buts."

And there was such a fiery determination in his eyes that she momentarily shut up and allowed him to lead her back to the car.

"Shal is so going to kick you're a$$ for this," she whispered as Brennan helped her in the passenger seat. She closed her eyes and allowed him to buckle her seatbelt, head already groggy because of one stupid glass of alcohol.

She felt gentle fingers remove a strand of hair that got in the way, and she heard a soft whisper followed by a light kiss on the forehead before she drifted to sleep, a warm smile affixed her pretty face.

"Better an angry feral than a dead best friend."


	67. Heart

**Title: Valentines in December**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Ensemble**

**Prompt: Heart**

**Word Count: 445**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: Valentines in December is the same with the ones in February.**

**A/N: I guess I have to explain myself a little here. Last week an officemate was teasing me about his Christmas gift, to which I replied that I don't normally give out gifts on Christmas. Days later we went home to the province and I found out that my aunt sells chocolates, so I bought a dozen or so and gave them to my officemates, greeting them Happy Valentines instead of Merry Christmas. Yeah yeah lame excuse. Anyway.**

It was months before Valentines but she was already giving out heart-shaped chocolates to the members of the team, much to their surprise and puzzlement. When she handed Adam his gift, the scientist stared at the poor thing for one painful minute, a chocolate lollipop wrapped delicately in transparent plastic tied with a red ribbon. And she tapped her foot impatiently and sighed and pouted and bit her lip, until the scientist finally took the chocolate and gave a small smile before returning to his work.

Shalimar raised an eyebrow when she received her Valentine's gift. "But it's barely December," she tried to tell her, as if the telempath couldn't read months in a calendar. Emma merely grinned and hopped away like Little Red Riding Hood, her long red hair taking the place of the hood that everyone had incorporated with the famous child character.

Jesse stared at her like she had grown two heads. "Valentines is on February, Em," he said matter-of-factly, earning a huge grin from the psionic in return. "I know," she laughed. "But by then I'd be too lazy to make the chocolates, so I'm giving them out now." A pause followed by a wink. "Besides, I'll probably be busy with all the invitations I'll get on that month." And before he could utter a response, she was off, feeling giddy and bouncy and everything in between.

Her last piece of chocolate she handed to Brennan, who was sitting comfortably on the couch, staring in space. He smiled and kissed her softly on the forehead. "Happy Valentines too, Em." And she frowned, because she wanted him to be puzzled as much as the other members of the team had been.

"Aren't you going to ask why I'm giving them out on December instead of February?" she pouted, plopping down the seat beside him.

He shook his head and offered a big smile. "Nope. I don't care if you give them out on June either. What's important is that you remembered. That's all I care about."

And she found the answer so simple, so weird, and so heart-warming she suddenly wrapped her arms around him and planted a noisy kiss on his cheek.

And he laughed and pulled her close, and just as she was about to pull away he whispered something that made her grin and nod in approval.

"Okay, you can be my Valentines," she grinned, her spirits soaring up high in imaginary clouds. And as an afterthought, she added, "December Valentines or June?"

And he smiled and hugged her tighter, whispering that he didn't really care, as long as she gave him more chocolates with little kisses on top.


	68. Birthday

**Title: Surprises**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: Birthday**

**Word Count: 197**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: Surprises never work on her.**

**A/N: Small fluff as birthday gift to Aurore, one of the best MX writers out there. Happy birthday girl! **

"Surprises won't work on me," she chirped, eyes not leaving her book. "You should know that more than anyone else."

He stood a few feet away, back against the wall and arms across the chest, left eyebrow shooting up involuntarily. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She rolled to her side and looked up to him, smiling tiredly. "You know, the surprise birthday party tomorrow."

He laughed. "Who told you?"

She closed her book and shook her head. "I can sense Shal a mile away," she laughed. "If you wanted it to be a real surprise you should have kept it from her."

Chuckling he strode towards her bed and sat down. "You done with the book?"

An eyebrow rose. "You need it back already? I'm only on the third chapter. Give me a day or two."

Grinning he took the book from her hands and placed it on the side table. "That's not what I meant."

"And whatever do you mean?" she asked, feigning innocence.

There was a twinkle in his eyes that made her insides turn happily, and seconds before he lowered his lips onto hers she vaguely heard him whisper, "It's a surprise."


	69. Star

**Title: Dead Stars**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Adam Kane**

**Prompt: Star**

**Word Count: 262**

**Rating: G**

**Summary: Dead stars aren't less appealing.**

**A/N: Eep. I'm back. Heeh. I barely remember anything from MX anymore. Oo**

It was one of those nights, where everything in the whole, whole universe felt peaceful, and for once she didn't feel the need to resent her telempathic gifts. She sat alone in her favorite spot, about a quarter an hour's worth of walk from the big chunk of rock they called home, and alone she looked up the stars above her head. Different hues of stars meet her gaze – bluish white, soft yellow and fiery red – all indicating their ages from eons of miles away.

"You know that most of them are dead," came a voice from behind, a man well advanced in years.

She nodded, her eyes twinkling like the stars she loved to watch. "The red ones are. The yellow ones might be." A pause. "But the blue ones," she smiled dreamily, "there's still a chance that they're still alive, out there, waiting."

"Waiting for what?" came the question she expected. She knew Adam was never fond of metaphors.

A grin. "For something, of course."

And she knew that the scientist was giving her a bemused expression, and she bit her lower lip from giggling at his cluelessness. "Don't you feel it Adam?" she whispered barely to herself, her mentor a few steps away. "Don't you hear them? They're calling us. Trying to catch our attention. They want to tell us something." She closed her eyes and smiled wider. "We just have to know how to listen."

And the scientist watched her a few more minutes, before finally stepping back, leaving her to enjoy the rest of thes evening alone.


	70. Moon

**Title: Full Moon**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: Moon**

**Word Count: 206**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: About rhetorical questions and moons half-hidden in clouds.**

**A/N: Another one! You guys are having a field day, huh? Now I only owe you 30 stories! **

"Do you love me?"

She turned and found herself fighting the urge to wrap her arms around his neck and lock him in a tight embrace. Instead, she feigned a curious look and asked innocently, "Is that a rhetorical question?"

The elemental smiled and pulled her closer, basking in her warmth. Everything around them was perfect – the slow movement of tree branches against the soft whisper of the night wind, the cool, crisp air that embraces them both, the silent trickle of the nearby stream to their left. It had only been a few weeks before that he finally gathered enough courage to tell her how much she meant to him – more than a sister, more than a friend. It had been a relief to see her smile and feel her head resting on his chest, a sign that she was accepting the love he offered.

"Do you see the moon, Bren?" she whispered.

He looked up and saw the full moon, round and bright and hypnotizing. "Yes."

She cuddled closer. "As long as it's there, up in the sky, half-hidden behind dark clouds, I'll always love you."

And he found himself smiling, and looking straight into her deep blue eyes, he answered back, "Me too."


	71. Smile

**Title: Silent Regret**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Jesse Kilmartin**

**Prompt: Smile**

**Word Count: 101**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: He broke her heart. She broke his.**

**A/N: Don't ask. I just had to.**

Only later did he realize he'd rather have her frown every single day than see her smile once and be gone forever.

He knew it was his fault.

She had told him how she felt, yet he let his fear get the best of him and pushed her away.

He saw her smile sadly one last time. One second more and he would have collected her in his arms, but she was gone before he had the chance to move a muscle.

Next morning, she's nowhere to be found.

Only a note lied crumpled on her bed.

_Goodbye_, it said.


	72. Triangle

**Title: One Night Stand**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: Triangle**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Word Count: 575**

**Summary: He loved her, knowing she could never be his.**

**A/N: My first attempt at implied lemon… or something like that. I think I enjoy breaking Brennan's heart. I ought to do it more often. Heeh.**

He'd never guess that he'd end up falling in love with his best friend's girl friend; neither did it occur to him that he'd actually act upon those feelings one cold evening when they were left all alone in Sanctuary. But it had been cold, too cold for comfort, and the rest of the team was miles away, digging some old engraved rocks in the Pacific.

He found her sitting alone in her favorite spot in their home – the cool, inviting platform near the pool. How she could stand the coldness in the air, with her bare skin almost touching the platform's metallic surface, only separated by the thin fabric of her pants, he would never know. But he found himself heading towards her, sitting beside her, watching her, as she kept her eyes closed, lost in her own little world of spirits and psyche.

Before he could stop himself, he had his right hand softly touching her cheek, and he watched as her eyes opened in surprise, and she turned and backed an inch, clearly reading what's in his mind.

"Em, I'm sorry," he whispered, pulling his hand back, abashed at what he did. Jesse was more than a brother, and there was no way he could betray him. But _darn it, _he thought, keeping his eyes affixed on her confused face, he had loved her for so long. It wasn't fair that he couldn't have his chance with her, even just this once.

"Why?" she whispered back, not moving from her place, confusion still in her eyes. "Why only now?"

And he paused, words leaving him. She pressed on. "I've loved you from the start. Why didn't you?"

And he suddenly felt the need to give a detailed explanation of all the why's – his initial attraction to Shalimar, him seeing her as his little sister, his oblivion to her feelings, his sudden realization that he was in love when it was already too late. But he could utter no word.

He did the only thing he could, he inched closer and pressed his lips against hers.

She pushed him away. "No," she said firmly, eyes sparkling with what seemed to be tears. "Jesse."

And at the mention of his best friend's name, he pulled away, even guiltier than before. "I'm sorry."

And he quickly stood up and walked away, lest he do the unthinkable.

He heard shuffling of feet and soft padding on the floor. He turned just in time to catch her as she all but flew towards him, her arms finding their way around his neck, her legs around his waist, her lips on his. All reason lost, he carried her back to the platform, his lips not allowing her to pull away.

"Damn it Em, I love you so much," he whispered in her mouth, and she shushed him, pressing her lips closer to his.

Five hours later, he'd wake up all alone on his bed, a note sitting on his desk. Outside, he could hear her talking to Jesse, asking him how the mission had gone, telling him how much she had missed him, how much she wished he hadn't left that afternoon.

_I'm sorry, _her note read, _love triangles always end up in heartache. I can't break his._

And he cried, crumpling the note in his hand, letting it stay there until he felt numb from the pain caused by the beautiful telempath he fell in love with.


	73. Square

Title: Saved 

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma De Lauro, Brennan Mulwray, Mason Eckhart, Jesse Kilmartin**

**Prompt: Square**

**Word Count: 130**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: She knows they'd be saved.**

**A/N: Eep. Almost no one's reviewing anymore. I know MX is DEAD, but can't you guys hang around a little longer for me to finish this fic? _Insert puppy eyes here._**

She watches from behind the square gaps of the wire fence how Eckhart taunts Brennan and threats him into being a permanent resident of a pod, and she wants nothing more than to rip the madman's brains apart for being the cold, sock bastard that he is. She knows that Jesse is on his way, but seeing Brennan try his best not to look affected by Eckhart's threat almost makes her snap and announce that reinforcements are on their way. But she bites her tongue and feigns a worried look, and she promises herself that one day she'd get back at the madman for everything he did to them. In the meantime she spots Jesse, donned in a GSA uniform, and a small smile escape her lips.

Salvation is here.


	74. Circle

Title: Fading Commitment 

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Character: Emma De Lauro, Ensemble**

**Prompt: Circle**

**Word Counr: 105**

**Rating: G**

**Summary: Along with her ring disappeared memories of her.**

**A/N: _Refer to earlier A/N. _**

Rings symbolize never-ending commitment to a person, a group or a cause. As long as one has it around his finger he is reminded of his sworn allegiance to something he considers of great value. As long as it's there, the promise stays intact, and no matter what the future holds, one is assured of his colleagues' fidelity.

When Emma's commlink fell from her hand after the Naxcom explosion, the team ended their connection with her. Her ring rested on a chunk of dead rock with her name engraved on it, and was forgotten, just like she was.

So unfortunate, because she wasn't _really_ dead.


	75. Shape

Title: Candles 

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma De Lauro, Ensemble**

**Prompt: Shape**

**Word Count: 114**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: She loves candles. Enough said. **

**A/N: With barely 20 stories left to go, I should start celebrating, really.**

She loves candles.

She collects them, all shapes and sizes, different colors and scents. They soothe her, she tells them, and she doesn't care, even when Adam gives a disapproving look whenever she walks into a room smelling like cantaloupe or green tea, or Shalimar refuses to enter her room when more than twenty of them are lighted up, or Jesse mocks her for being weird and occult-ish. Not even when Brennan complains about smelling like burnt wax after his late night visits in her room (though he would always, always smell a little more like her favorite perfume).

She loves candles. And there was not a damn thing they can do about it.


	76. New Year

**Title: Firecrackers**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Jesse Kilmartin**

**Word Count: 405**

**Rating: PG**

**Summary: No one should spend New Year's day alone.**

**A/N: Yeeeh. An EmmaxJesse cuteness moment. Cheers. And no, the title does not make sense. Believe me.**

She hated New Years. She hated firecrackers, hated loud cheering, hated the smoke and haze that came after. She hated mixed emotions that flood her, and she has to fortify her mental walls just to remain sane. New Years were worse that Christmases in her book. Worse that Valentines. No… scratch that. There was nothing worse that raging hormones during Valentines.

But that was beside the point.

It so happened that one particular New Year, while the rest of the team was out partying like a bunch of heathens, she stayed in her room and sulked at the misfortune that fell upon her. Why oh why must she be the unwilling recipient of all those feelings of joy, expectations, anxiety, pain, and so forth? Why can't she be left alone with her own emotions even for just one day? Why does she have to be a friggin' psionic?

So she brooded in her room, all by herself, when she heard a knock on her door.

Yech. She thought all of them had left already. She wasn't really in the best of moods to have a chit-chat.

"Em?" a familiar blonde head popped from behind her door.

"Go away."

He smiled and entered her room, making his way on her bed. "You okay?"

He got a glare as a response.

Laughing, he took her hands and squeezed them affectionately. "Stop mopping around. It's New Year."

Heeh. Exactly why she was brooding in the first place.

"Come on. Let's go out."

"No."

A frown. "Emma."

"I said no."

He sighed. "All right then." He made himself comfortable. "Since you're not going out, I'm going to stay in."

A blink. Ehh?

"You heard me. I'm going to stay here with you until morning."

"Are you nuts?" she gasped. "If Brennan finds you on my bed at this time of night he'd fry you."

A laugh. "He's just an overprotective dork. He'll get over it."

"Jesse!"

A wink. "No one should spend the New Year alone, Em. Not even you."

An exasperated sigh. "Great. Just perfect."

Two hours later, and a sleeping molecular on her floor (he was gentleman enough not to sleep beside her), she began to wonder if New Year was all muck and mush. A smile formed on her lips, and as she watched the slow rise and fall of Jesse's chest, she told herself that maybe, just maybe, New Years weren't so bad after all.


	77. Touch

**Title: Final Touch**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Jesse Kilmartin**

**Prompt: Touch**

**Word Count: 215 Rating: PG**

**Summary: She might be leaving her real destiny, and she didn't even know it.**

**A/N: I'm actually back. And this is something that flashed in my mind while I was on my way to work, for no apparent reason at all. I just had to write it.**

When she hugged Jesse as a sign of gratitude for helping her get to Tyler, Emma felt the slightest hint of disappointment and sadness at the idea that it might be the last time she could hug _him. _It was only a fraction of a second, just the tiniest resentment that she had to go follow Tyler, her _soul mate, _when she felt so secure, so _at home, _in Jesse's embrace. Then it quickly dissipated, replaced by a guilty feeling at having thought of something as absurd as that, when it was evident that Jesse looked upon her as an older brother would view his little sister. It frustrated her just the tiny bit, but she quickly pushed the feeling aside, convincing herself that it was Tyler all along, and that she would be happy with him, whatever happiness meant.

And as she took Jesse's hand for one final touch, she accepted the fact that they could never really be, that, like her early attraction to their elemental friend, her feelings for Jesse was something fleeting and unreciprocated.

If she had looked hard enough into Jesse's sad, blue eyes, she would have seen that the molecular was silently hoping that she didn't have to leave, that she would choose to stay with them, with _him._


	78. Taste

**Title: Red Tea and Peppermint**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma DeLauro, Brennan Mulwray**

**Prompt: Taste**

**Rating: PG-13 **

**Word Count: 172**

**Summary: We're just make-out partners, right?**

**A/N: Just a pointless drabble. 'nuff said.**

She always tasted like red tea and the slightest hint of peppermint, he'd tell her as they both lie on his bed, her head on his chest and his left arm around her small waist, and she'd hide her face in embarrassment, because really, she wasn't used in hearing compliments _from him. _And he'd feel her uneasiness and laugh, pulling her up and kissing her gently on the lips once more, and he'd feel her cheeks blush and he'd kiss her forehead to steady her rapidly beating heart.

"Emma, you do know I love you, right?"

And she'd stare at him like he said something incredulous and she'd wrinkle her nose, and she'd answer something like "I thought we're just make-out partners," and he'd tighten his grip around her and flick her forehead with his fingers, and she'd pout and stick out her tongue, and two minutes later it would be another tickle fest, and always and always he'd end up tasting like red tea and the slightest hint of peppermint himself.


	79. Smell

**Title: Big Girls Don't Cry**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma / Brennan / Shalimar**

**Prompt: Smell**

**Word Count: 296**

**Rating: K **

**Summary: Big girls don't cry, do they?**

**Author's Notes: I'm back! (makes choking noises) Blame ****Ladybug Jess****! (points accusingly) She reviewed my stories after not receiving any since August of last year. Now I have no choice but to continue. Hek. Kidding. Thanks for the review LBJ (great, don't kill me for giving you a nickname). Now I'm a bit rusty with this fandom because it's like DEAD, but I'll try to make it as close to the series as possible. If that won't work, then let's all pretend these are original fiction, neh? **

She could still feel his fingertips grazing her bare shoulders ever so lightly, his skin leaving a scent of clean aftershave and lemongrass soap on the parts he held before kissing her fully on the lips. He always had the smell of nature about him, even when he made it apparent that he hated _doing nature _with a passion. And she loved his scent, wanting to keep it for herself, sometimes obsessing on it and wishing she could keep the smell bottled up in one of her perfume containers or molded together with one of her scented candles, so just she could smell him anytime she wanted to.

But she never had the courage to do that, and now he was _oh so far away _(even when they were only a wall apart)and there was no way to gather his scent and keep it for herself, because now someone else owned it, owned _him, _and there was no way that this other girl would give him up, _especially not to her, _not after all the deception she did just to steal him in the first place.

And sometimes she, Emma DeLauro, wanted to take back what was hers to begin with, _even just his smell of lemongrass and clean aftershave, _but then again the other girl was Shalimar, and she loved her so much more, to a point of allowing her to steal Brennan away from her, even when she had every damn right not to give him up.

So she kept all the tears inside, bottled them up instead of the scent of Brennan which she wanted to keep from the beginning. And she told herself not to cry, because she was a big girl now, and really, big girls don't cry, do they?


	80. Sound

**Title: Demented**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma, Brennan, Shalimar**

**Prompt: Sound**

**Word Count: 114**

**Summary: She'll do everything to get him to notice her.**

**A/N: Slightly insane Emma. Okay, I take it back. Terribly insane is more like it.**

Brennan used to tell her that she ought to take care of herself more, that the team couldn't risk losing her twice over. Still she purposefully annoyed him by taking dangerous missions and endangering her life just to see how much he cared. And when she found herself trapped in a burning building and realized that it was her feral friend who saved her, she promised herself that she will do something more drastic to get Brennan's attention, even if she had to kill herself. And kill herself she did.

In the underworld, she heard Brennan's soft sobs at the loss, and it was the sweetest sound she'd ever heard in her entire existence.


	81. Sight

**Title: Cynical and Jaded**

**Fandom: Mutant X**

**Characters: Emma, Tyler, Jesse**

**Prompt: Sight**

**Word Count: 112**

**Summary: How to make a psionic cynical and jaded? Let her watch her soul mate die in front of her.**

**A/N: Pessimistic Emma is fun to write.**

She refused to believe in happy endings, ever since her soul mate Tyler was stolen from her by some freak accident involving a psycho bastard (sociopath) and a bunch of nuclear bombs. The sight of her one true love dying in front of her killed any faith she had that happily ever after's existed. When Jesse hinted that he wanted to be more than friends, she laughed it off and refused to believe that there was still hope for a happy ending for her. Weeks later, as she fell down the cold waters beneath the Naxcom building, she let out a tired, little laugh and whispered to herself, "I told you so!"


End file.
